Ready to Decarbonize & Boost Energy Efficiency at Data Centers?

Iberdrola firmly believes that the transition to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 is possible and makes economic sense. Decarbonizing the economy and digital innovation entail building innovative distribution grids to cope with new models of electricity consumption.

Today, the data centers industry has grown exponentially as a core component of the digital economy and will continue to grow over time as cloud computing expands. Data centers represent a growing source of power demand accounting for 200 terawatt-hours (TWh) a year – around 1% of total global electricity demand. In some locations such as Ireland, where there is a huge density of data centers, this ratio could account for up to 14% of the electricity consumption.

Cooling at a data center converts energy used by servers and transfers it to an air or liquid stream that transports the heat out of the building, which is eventually discharged into the atmosphere.

Two challenges come with trying to use this hot air: the low temperature of the waste heat and the difficulty and cost of transporting the heat to an end-user.

In this context, Iberdrola in collaboration with Schneider Electric and Microsoft, through PERSEO – Iberdrola’s International Startup Program – is launching this challenge, looking for innovative solutions to boost energy efficiency at data centers and allow facility sites to improve their power usage effectiveness.

Iberdrola is no stranger to working with startups and emerging companies - over the last two years, the Group has launched over 16 Startup Challenges to address pressing issues in today's energy networks.

Moreover, working with Iberdrola presents a unique opportunity:

Winning this Challenge will award you with signing a collaboration agreement for the development of a Proof-of-Concept (PoC). The PoC will be developed in collaboration with experts from Iberdrola, Schneider Electric, and Microsoft.

Additionally, PERSEO covers the costs of the pilot activities and provides you with the necessary technical support, giving access to infrastructures and real data to test your solution.

Finally, PERSEO may consider investing in your solution!

Iberdrola in collaboration with Schneider Electric and Microsoft, through PERSEO – Iberdrola’s International Startups Programme – is launching this challenge, looking for innovative solutions boosting energy efficiency at data centers, allowing facility sites to improve their power usage effectiveness.

Those energy efficiency solutions might focus on areas such as:

Sub-challenge A: Heat & Water Recovery – Reuse of the heat generated by data centers (hot air stream at 32-40 Celsius degrees) for residential, commercial, or industrial processes.

Sub-challenge B: Smart Building – Smart cooperation between different energy management systems, such as thermal & electrical systems.

Sub-challenge C: Demand-Side Response Capability – solutions for the provision of flexibility and balancing services to grid operators.

Your benefits include:

• Collaboration Agreement & Pilot Test: The prize for the winner consists of a collaboration and test agreement with PERSEO or any other Iberdrola group company. The group will support the cost of the pilot activities.

• Access-all-Areas: Iberdrola will provide the winner with all necessary technical support, as well as a site and real data to test the solution. This includes access to equipment, teams, infrastructure, high technology sites, and shared work areas.

• Scale Your Technology: If the pilot test is satisfactory, Iberdrola may offer the winner the opportunity to scale up the solution by adapting it through commercial agreements.

• Investment: What's more, PERSEO will consider investing in the participating company and/or the winner of the challenge.

The winner of the challenge will sign a partnership contract with Iberdrola and/or PERSEO and will be able to test their solution in a real environment.

For the collaboration of the pilot project, Iberdrola will:

• assume the costs of the collaboration and the proof of concept
• provide the necessary technical support to test the solution proposed
• give access to equipment, appliances, infrastructure, high technology sites, and joint work areas
• provide a real environment and real data to test the solution

The project will be developed in collaboration with technical specialists from the Iberdrola Group.

You are welcome to submit more than one proposal, just make sure to submit a separate application form for each proposal.

The application period for this challenge ends on 1 June 2022.

UPDATE: The application period for this challenge has been extended to 12 June 2022 - apply today!

The following value propositions will be considered, among others:

• The maturity, reliability, and scalability of the solution
• Simplicity of installation
• Economic impact for data centers managers (cost vs revenue)
• Power usage effectiveness improvement, likely positive
• Energy Reuse Effectiveness, or ERE, a measure of heat reuse success
• Applicability of the solution for this and other industries

Proposals should specify what equipment and connections are needed to implement their solutions.

The proposals received will be analyzed by experts from Iberdrola, Schneider Electric and Microsoft’s experts teams and, among others.