A recent feature by Joey Harris in the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) examined the growing environmental and logistical concerns surrounding the massive energy requirements of modern data centers in Indiana.
The piece focused on the industry's heavy reliance on diesel generators for backup power. Data center operators must maintain constant operations even when the primary electric grid fails, leading companies to install hundreds of diesel generators at sites across the state.
Xiaonan Lu, an associate professor in Purdue Polytechnic's School of Engineering Technology, spoke with the IBJ about why these facilities cannot afford power interruptions.
"If we do lose the power from the grid and for any reason we do not have [alternative] resources to power the computing loads, it will go down for sure," Lu said. "That can jeopardize their routine workflow."
The IBJ noted that while data center operators claim they rarely use the generators outside of monthly testing and power-grid emergencies, the scale of the installations has raised concerns. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has approved 174 emergency generators for a new Google data center in Fort Wayne and 472 generators for an Amazon campus in New Carlisle.
Environmental advocates argue that even limited use of these generators produces harmful particulate matter and emissions. However, industry representatives counter that alternative energy sources currently present significant logistical challenges. Natural gas requires access to an on-site pipeline, and battery storage systems remain too expensive to provide indefinite backup power.
Lu noted that as the electric grid faces increased strain from aging infrastructure and weather-related disturbances, the importance of backup power for data centers will only increase. He explained that these localized power sources can actually benefit the broader electrical system during times of high demand.
"Backup power can release the load demand from the grid side, making it easier for the grid to handle this type of faster growth," Lu said.
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