Research Project

CATALYST: Converting Data centers in Energy Flexibility Ecosystems

The project aims to accelerate the commercial use of innovative energy efficiency solutions in data centers and the on-site integration of renewable energy sources.

Where: international
Challenge
The integration of renewable energies and self-consumption and improvements in energy efficiency can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of data centers. However, very few solutions, although tested in the laboratory, have been successful in operational data centers, due to technological fragmentation, excessive CAPEX and the lack of adequate business models.
Approach
CATALYST intends to address this challenge by transforming data centers into "multy-energy hubs", capable of supporting investments in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency thanks to the offer of flexibility services to smart grids (both electricity and heat). Engineering coordinates the project, is responsible for both administrative and technical management. The services offered by CATALYST were demonstrated at the “green” data center in Pont-Saint-Martin (pilot).
Solution
CATALYST aims to identify an adaptable and holistic architectural framework for energy efficiency in data centers, creating a "follow the energy" mechanism to encourage energy consumption closer to generation sources and a safe and traceable migration of the IT load between geographically disjoint synergistic data centers, migrating the IT load to where backup power is available or heat generation is needed. It also intends to define forecasting mechanisms to increase the resilience and security of energy supply and new "multi-carrier" market mechanisms (in the form of Marketplace as a Service) to support new business models and a secure and unified trading system. traceable, based on micro-contracts, for the migration of IT loads and energy (electricity / heat).
Results
Technologies

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