FEATURE : DATA CENTRES
Many African countries have unstable , coal-intensive grids and strategic power outages intended to reduce peak demand . Because data centres need power to stay operational 24x7x365 , reliance on onsite back-up generation is often the expensive norm .
More public and private sector investment in renewable and sustainable energy technologies , driven in many cases by the adoption of green economy policies and growth strategies , is beginning to have a positive impact on the availability of reliable energy . Solutions such as onsite solar power plants and energy wheeling are gaining traction , enabling data centres to be powered by solar facilities built nearby .
With Africa on the frontline of the global water crisis , and as water conservation policies become global mandates to tackle it , water and data centre design experts are working with hyperscale and colocation data centre operators to minimise freshwater use .
From rainwater collection , onsite treatment plants and recycling local wastewater , to reusing cooling tower runoff and converting waste heat back into useable
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