The idea that you can save a photo, document, or video in the ‘cloud’ has perpetuated the myth that data doesn’t need physical infrastructure in the built environment to support it. However, to operate at peak efficiency in a rapidly advancing digital economy, the UK is going to need a lot more data centres.
David Sayad is head of department – subsurface engineering at Murphy Geospatial
These energy-hungry sites, full of servers with strict security, need an uninterrupted power supply to operate and substations across the national grid will need more capacity to serve this infrastructure to make it viable. Previously, UK data centres have been built around London. As data consumption grows, developers have started looking further afield after struggling to find adequate land and power in this area.
With the UK energy industry already in transition there is a huge amount of change underway in the UK’s energy markets and with change comes opportunity. At Murphy Geospatial, we have been supporting developers creating feasibility studies for data centres when they come up against grid constraints. Our geospatial surveys allow developers looking at prospective sites to understand if and how substations could be connected via underground cables, to deliver the non-stop power, data centres require, along with associated timescales and costs.
The big data boom
In the early 90s, the storage device of choice was a floppy disk with a memory of 1.4MB. Now a single photo on your phone can use 6MB or more, as a result, there has been a boom in the amount of data individuals use.
Research shows that in 2017 the amount of digital data created worldwide was approximately 32 zettabytes (one ZB is equivalent to a trillion GB). This is forecast to reach 291ZB by 2027 – a staggering ninefold growth rate.
With more industries adopting energy-guzzling AI, this data explosion is only going to get bigger. AI is particularly energy-intensive because the graphics processing units (GPUs) used produce enormous amounts of heat. Data centres run power-intensive cooling systems to cope, and although there are examples of innovative projects where excess heat is harnessed for district heating networks in Germany, this is yet to be realised in the UK.
This new wave of electricity use is putting substantial pressure on grids worldwide, the International Energy Agency estimates that global electricity demand from data centres could amount to double 2022 levels as soon as 2026. Despite some governments becoming more reluctant to grant permission for new developments in response, the UK’s government has outlined a plan to remove planning barriers for new centres, marking a new chapter for the UK market.
Mapping power
It’s widely discussed that the UK’s national grid isn’t yet set up to deliver the needs of a net zero digital economy and government and industry are responding accordingly. Part of this transition is understanding and improving current infrastructure whilst also building new assets.
The UKPN (UK Power Network) map highlights that substations across the UK constantly run at differing capacities – either overloaded or with headroom. At Murphy Geospatial, we have been using EML (electromagnetic location) surveys, GPR (ground penetrating radar) and other subsurface survey technologies and techniques to produce geospatial surveys which allow developers to create feasibility studies which show how they will get power to new developments by introducing new connections between substations.
Substation surveys
With so much existing infrastructure underground that developers must navigate, along with natural features like rivers, woodlands and urban infrastructure including roads and rail, understanding where new cables can be laid before breaking ground strengthens the business case for new projects.
Using certified geospatial data, developers can also create site plans that get things right the first time, avoiding costly and time-consuming clashes and associated rethinks when construction work begins.
Part of the puzzle
It’s not just new data centres that will require the installation of new power cables in the coming years, the government’s new house-building targets will see new housing developments being constructed which will need new power sources. The rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure will also need new networks for electricity distribution mapped out.
A lot of discussions about the energy transition currently focus quite rightly on where our energy is coming from, but a key part of the puzzle which still needs solving is how the UK transports energy to where the demand is.
As the UK moves further into its digital future and a net zero economy, the importance of locational data for the development of data centres cannot be overstated. The rapid increase in data consumption, fuelled by the digital revolution and the rise of AI, necessitates a robust infrastructure capable of meeting these demands. However, the challenge lies not just in generating energy but in efficiently transporting it to where it is needed. This is where geospatial data is crucial.
As we address the gaps in the UK’s data centre infrastructure, the integration of precise locational data will be instrumental in laying the groundwork for a more resilient, efficient and sustainable digital economy. The road to net zero and digitalisation is complex, but with the right tools and insights, underpinned by geospatial data, it is a journey that the UK can prepare itself for.
- David Sayad is head of department – subsurface engineering at Murphy Geospatial
Like what you’ve read? To receive New Civil Engineer’s daily and weekly newsletters click here.