Binero takes the lead in sustainable digitalisation

Data centres consume large amounts of energy

As we use the Internet more and more, and as more and more devices are connected to the network, more and more energy is needed to power a connected world. The rise of digitalisation and the huge increase in Internet use – especially the explosion of cloud services and media streaming in recent years – has led to the number of data centres worldwide growing from just over half a million in 2012 to nearly nine million today.

This also means that the data centre industry is consuming more and more of the world's energy – a single data centre can use more electricity than a medium-sized city, and by 2023, China's data centres alone are predicted to consume more energy than the whole of Australia. By 2030, the IT sector as a whole is estimated to consume one-fifth of the world's energy. Several regions around the world have imposed a moratorium on new data centres because the electricity grids simply cannot guarantee power supply. After Amazon started operating its data centres in the Mälardalen region, the region's power companies realised that they were consuming so much energy that it was causing a capacity shortage in the electricity grid – which meant that companies wanting to establish themselves in the region could not be guaranteed sufficient power supply.

In other words, energy is a really important part of the future of the IT industry. Considering that too many data centres are mainly powered by fossil fuels like coal, this is obviously not a good thing for the environment.

We reduce your climate footprint

New technology contributes greatly to the efficient use of resources. Digitisation has made it possible to store data in a much more compressed form, which is clearly beneficial to the environment. Unfortunately, however, the IT industry as a whole has not got it right from the start when it comes to how all the equipment required for modern services and technology is operated.

Many data centres still use fossil fuels. By switching to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro power, we can solve the biggest problems. But it is just as important to invest in technological development and smart solutions so that we can capture renewable energy efficiently and also reuse it.

By both reducing our energy consumption and using energy more intelligently, Binero has taken the lead in sustainable digital infrastructure and platforms. We guarantee our customers and partners 100% fossil-free data and market-leading energy recovery. At our data centre north of Stockholm, we have found an optimal solution for recycling our residual product – in other words, heat – and sending it to the district heating network to heat homes in the municipality, while also using the cooled water we get back to cool the equipment in the data centre. There is a year-round demand for the heat we generate, which means we can be considered climate neutral.

At Binero, we are very proud to be able to offer our services with such a small carbon footprint, and that more and more companies are choosing to go green with us.