30s Summary

Microsoft has developed a novel data center design that recycles water in a closed-loop system between servers and cooling systems, potentially saving 125 million liters of water annually per center. The system, which will not replace water use for basic needs, was introduced in August. It won’t be retrofitted into existing data centers but will be tested in new projects in Arizona and Wisconsin by 2026. By 2027, new data centers will primarily use this zero-water waste system for cooling.

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Microsoft has just announced a cool new way to run data centers that doesn’t use up any water. Basically, they’ve created a system that recycles water in a closed loop between the computer servers and cooling systems. This means the water can take away the heat without needing to be replaced.

They introduced the system back in August, and it’s all about achieving temperature control without losing any water. Of course, there will still be water use for basics needs like toilets and kitchens at the data center. Microsoft says switching to this new system could save over 125 million liters of water a year for every data center.

It’s a timely invention, with concerns growing over how much power and water is sucked up by the data centers running everything from AI computations to cryptocurrency mining and our everyday online services like emails.

In fact, recent studies have shown that creating just a small bit of AI text or making a single Bitcoin transaction can use a heap of water. The new water-saving system won’t be used in Microsoft’s existing data centers, but it will be tested in new projects being built in Arizona and Wisconsin by 2026.

By the end of 2027, new data centers are set to start using this zero-water waste system as their main cooling method. Microsoft may have shown great profits recently thanks to growth in their AI business, but they know that environmental sustainability is key for the long run. This is a step in the right direction!