Japan to Promote Emissions-Free Data Centers

Tokyo, July 4 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Environment Ministry is promoting the establishment of data centers that do not emit greenhouse gases. The move comes as data volume and electricity usage surge due to more people working from home and using online meetings amid the COVID-19 epidemic. The ministry will seek to reduce the consumption of electricity at data centers through the use of new energy-saving technologies in addition to renewable energy sources such as solar power. Electricity consumption related to information technology in Japan in 2030 is expected to reach 36 times that of 2016 due to the introduction of advanced technologies including fifth-generation, or 5G, wireless networks. The increased use of work-from-home policies, online meetings and online shopping are accelerating the rise in data volumes and electricity usage. The ministry plans to promote energy-efficient technologies such as gallium nitride semiconductors. Gallium nitride, used for blue light-emitting diodes, can reduce heat and electricity consumption. The ministry will promote the development of the technology for use in adapters to supply electricity to data centers. The ministry is also promoting the supply of electricity from renewable energy power generation facilities to data centers in specialized direct-current power lines to boost energy efficiency. Conventional power lines supply alternating-current electricity, and data centers convert it into direct currents, resulting in some loss of power. The ministry aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from data centers by 10 pct with gallium nitride semiconductor technology, by 20 pct with direct-current power supply and by 70 pct with renewable energy and storage batteries. The plan is estimated to take about five years to complete. END