The truth about data center water usage

Of all the concerns surrounding the AI boom, data center water usage tops the list. Opponents claim that massive hyperscaler facilities threaten local drinking supplies and drain aquifers. Proponents say data centers use a negligible amount of water, at least compared to agriculture or conventional power generation sources. So who actually has it right? In this episode, Shayle sits down with Tim Shedd, founder of Ebullient Insights and an expert in data center thermal management. They unpack the history and evolution of data center cooling and consider how high-density chip racks have developers ditching air cooling in favor of single-phase direct-to-chip liquid cooling. The two also discuss: - Why modern GPU racks (drawing 220 kW to 500 kW+) have rendered traditional air cooling obsolete - The distinctions between single-phase direct-to-chip, two-phase cooling, and immersion cooling methods - How collecting heat at higher temperatures inside a server allows data centers to reject heat outside with far less energy and water inputs - How developers can better communicate with the public about data centers’ water usage and foster local trust amidst rapid buildouts. - Ebullient Insights - Catalyst: What comes after the data center backlash? - Open Circuit: Can data centers regain their social license? - Open Circuit: A feast of hot takes - Latitude Media: Data centers' hidden water footprint is linked to the grid Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by GridBeyond. GridBeyond is the world’s leading technology platform for managing distributed and flexible energy resources. Learn more by visiting GridBeyond.com. Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the strategic communications and marketing partner behind the biggest names in energy, climate, and infrastructure. For three decades, Antenna has helped breakout companies amplify their stories, build reputation, differentiate from the competition, define new categories and accelerate growth. Learn more at antennagroup.com. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 230 utilities to coordinate over 2.6 million DERs and more than 3.6 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at EnergyHub.com.