Europe: Climate neutral data center pact members to cut water use to 400ml per kWh by 2040

The Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDCP), a group of data center operators which includes 90% of the European data center sector, recently pledged to cut their water use by a maximum of 400ml per kWh of computer power by 2040. This proposal was taken to the European Commission in its third progress meeting with the EU's Directorate Generals for technology and the environment (DG CNECT and DG ENV). According to the group, all of the 74 data center operators that are signatories of the Pact have agreed to comply with the proposal. 

In the CNDCP's announcement, it outlined: "With water stress high and increasing in many areas, it is vital that the data center industry acts to mitigate its use of water," adding: "The proposed limit of 0.4l/kWh takes into account the diverse range of technologies, climates, and types of data center building to ensure that the metric is technology and location neutral." 

Alongside this pledge, the group also promises to ensure that its metrics align with ISO/IEC 30134 standard for data center performance. Mapping this will be done by Bureau Veritas, an independent auditing company. Moreover, in order to address the issue of both recycling and promoting a more circular economy, it has created two working groups that will formulate ideas on these areas of focus and then report back to the group at the next meeting in November this year. 

Speaking about the most recent pledge and what's ahead, Pact chairperson Matt Pullen, MD Europe for CyrusOne, said: "This was the third of our bi-annual update meetings with the commission and we feel we are really hitting our stride. With over 90 percent of Europe's data center capacity represented by signatories to the Pact these meetings are milestones on a crucial journey for Europe's Green Deal and Digital Agenda."