In the outskirts of northeast Paris lies a massive terracotta-colored warehouse, its interior a complex maze of windowless corridors. The loud hum echoing from behind rows of nondescript gray doors and beneath bright strip lights is deafening, prompting the availability of disposable earbuds to shield passersby from the noise.
Welcome to the intriguing world of one of France’s newest data centers, completed this year, now playing a crucial role in warming the futuristic Olympic Aquatics Center—visible from the data center’s rooftop. As US swimming sensation Katie Ledecky clinched her ninth Olympic gold medal last week, part of her victory was fueled by the water heated by this very data center.
Dubbed PA10, this bustling site belongs to the American data center giant Equinix—the sound emanating is from the company’s cooling systems working tirelessly to regulate the temperature of clients’ computer servers. “PA10 is engineered for high-density racks,” explains Imane Erraji, the site’s data center engineer, gesturing towards a stack of servers designed for AI computation.
Over the past month, the data center has ingeniously converted its hot air waste into water, channeling it to a local energy system operated by the French utility company Engie. Once operating at full capacity, Equinix anticipates exporting 6.6 thermal megawatts of heat from the facility—equivalent to the heat required by over 1,000 homes.
With forecasts indicating a surge in electric consumption by data centers due to AI advancements—Equinix anticipates a potential 400% rise in power consumption per rack—PA10 exemplifies a European trend aimed at tackling the environmental repercussions of the looming AI energy crisis. It envisions data centers as a cornerstone of city infrastructure, aiding in keeping urban areas warm.
Erraji describes the initiative as a “win-win” situation for Equinix and the local Seine-Saint-Denis suburb. By diverting excess heat out of the building, the company reduces the burden on its cooling systems, while the city benefits from a cost-effective local heat source. After securing a €2 million ($2.1m) investment from the City of Paris, Equinix has committed to providing energy free-of-charge for 15 years. In June, mayor of Seine-Saint-Denis, Mathieu Hanotin, also highlighted the environmental advantages, estimating a reduction of 1,800 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
Nonetheless, France boasts a “very low-carbon electricity mix,” per the International Energy Agency (IEA), with 62 percent of its electricity generated from nuclear power. Critics argue that expanding heat-reuse initiatives may divert attention from the core issue: the extensive land, water, and electricity consumption of data centers. Anne-Laure Ligozat, computer science professor at France’s National School of Computer Science for Industry and Business (ENSIIE), suggests that while reusing heat from data centers is beneficial, the real challenge lies in mitigating the energy consumption and environmental impact of these facilities.