Aston University Receives £625,000 to Help Tackle Soaring Energy Use of Data Centres

Strategic Insights -

Aston University researcher Dr. Aleksandr Donodin has been awarded £625,000 to explore fibre-optic networks for solutions to the increasing power demands of data centres. The University has also received over £600,000 to help tackle the soaring energy use of data centres. The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced the latest recipients of its fellowships, supporting engineers to solve various societal challenges. Dr. Donodin's research, titled "Next generation of Energy-efficient Optical Regional and Data Centre Connections," aims to cut power consumption in optical networks by 30-50% per bit. This breakthrough could enable the transmission of data at speeds of up to 200 terabytes per second, allowing millions of HD videos to be streamed simultaneously.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Aleksandr Donodin, an Aston University researcher, has been awarded £625,000 to explore fibre-optic networks for solutions to the increasing power demands of data centres.
  • The International Energy Agency predicts that from 2024 to 2030, data centres' energy consumption will grow by around 15% per year, more than four times faster than the growth of total electricity use from all other sectors.
  • Dr. Donodin's research, "Next generation of Energy-efficient Optical Regional and Data Centre Connections," aims to cut power consumption in optical networks by 30-50% per bit, potentially enabling transmission speeds of up to 200 terabytes per second.
  • The project will involve collaboration with device suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and leading telecom operators to implement the developed technologies in real-world systems.
  • The Royal Academy of Engineering's Research Fellowships program provides funding for five years to support outstanding early-career researchers, such as Dr. Donodin, to become future research leaders in engineering.
  • The awards, totaling £6.043 million, support research that addresses societal challenges, including those related to the environment, sustainability, and net-zero.

Statistics:

  • £625,000: the amount awarded to Dr. Aleksandr Donodin for his research project.
  • 30-50%: the potential reduction in power consumption in optical networks per bit.
  • 200 terabytes per second: the potential transmission speed enabled by the research.
  • 15%: the predicted annual growth in data centres' energy consumption from 2024 to 2030.
  • £6,043,000: the total funding provided by the Royal Academy of Engineering for the Research Fellowships program.

Sources:

  • "Aston University receives more than 600k pounds to help tackle the soaring energy use of data centres"
  • International Energy Agency (IEA) report "Energy and AI: Energy Demand from AI"
  • The Royal Academy of Engineering website
  • Aston University website