Just Add Water: The Resource Issues of Water-Based CoolingChris Crosby, CEO, Compass

Datacenters

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Who We Are

• Compass Datacenters provides complete data center packages

• Built using our Truly Modular™ Architecture• Patent pending design

• Geographically independent• The building is the module

• Simplify Capacity Planning• Growth in 1.2MW Increments

• Control• Ownership or lease• Operations and security• Expansion

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Drought

• Definitions vary:• “Prolonged period of reduced precipitation severe enough to

reduce soil moisture, water, and snow levels below the minimum necessary for sustaining plant, animal, and economic systems”

• Codified example (Washington State):• “Water supply for area is below 75% of normal”

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A Precious Resource

• 2012 Drought• 61% of 48 contiguous states

• Abnormally dry or drought conditions

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The Geography of Drought Risk

Generation capability lost in severe drought scenario

Source: Analysis of Drought Impacts on Electricity Production in the Western and Texas Interconnections of the United States , Argonne National Laboratory, 2011

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Anatomy of a Drought

• Washington State (2001)• Precipitation 56% to 74% of normal• Estimated $2.5-$6B in economic impact• Bonneville Power paid businesses over $400M

• To stay closed!

• Over 3,000 jobs lost• Smelting firms closed

• “The price of power was so high that Alcoa figured out it could make more money selling power than selling Aluminum”.• Dave O’Hara, Green Data Center Blog

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Why This is an Important Lesson

• 100 Year climate estimate• Drought conditions 10-15% of the time

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A Lot of Water

Average home:• Uses ~95,000 gallons

of water per year*

Average 5,000 square foot, 1MW data center**• 17 million gallons of

water annually

Average 15 MW data center**• 131 million gallons of

water annually

*National Renewable Energy Lab**James Hamilton, Amazon

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Relief from Outside

• Answers don’t always come from within• Case in point: Hedy Lamar came up with the idea for spread

spectrum communications

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A Universal Alternative

• Even Houston has over 3600 hours

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The Math

• “…Water overlooked in a zealous focus on PUE”• Dave O’Hara, Green Data Center Blog

• Do the math (Project savings over 10 years*)• Cost of adiabatic cooling capability- $500K• $10K annual operational and maintenance cost• $0.058 per kWh average utility cost• 7% discount rate over 10 years• Power draw rises 250kW, 500kW, 750kW

• 1,000kW thereafter• 10 Year PV “Savings”

• 75° Adiabatic- (415,000)• 58° Adiabatic- (421,000)

* Based on New Mexico DC

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Airside Economization

• A more flexible alternative• DX units with integrated controls

• No need for human interaction

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Summary

• Water is a precious resource• T. Boone Pickens

• The issue isn’t water efficiency• It’s availability and cost

• Drought• Unpredictable in impact• Increases likelihood of cost impact

• Water based systems a “faith-based” decision• Fresh air is a viable alternative

• Lower CapEx and OpEx• Usable in virtually any climate• Not always the best in efficiency, just the best business decision

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