We proudly announce today that UF has been awarded a prestigious grant from ARPA-E under COOLERCHIPS program to spearhead groundbreaking research and development aimed at dramatically increasing the energy efficiency of data centers while significantly reducing their carbon footprint. “Project Hyper-efficient Data Centers for Deep Decarbonization of Large-scale Computing” is the result of years of scientific advancements we have made in phase-change heat transfer under ONR and NSF projects, and I am excited to lead a team of academic, national lab, and industry leaders under this project.” stated Dr. Saeed Moghaddam, William Powers Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida.
In announcing this news, U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm commented that “climate change, including severe weather events, threatens the functionality of data centers that are critical to connecting computing and network infrastructure that power our everyday lives”. The UF collaborative work marks a pivotal milestone in the pursuit of a greener future, aligned with the ambitious goals outlined by the Department of Energy to combat climate change and promote energy conservation.
Under the guidance and support of the Department of Energy ARPA-E, the project partners will leverage their extensive expertise in cutting-edge technologies and data center optimization to create an innovative solution that revolutionizes energy efficiency standards within the industry. The grant will provide ample resources to conduct extensive research, design groundbreaking prototypes, and implement scalable solutions that will reshape the landscape of data centers, establishing a new paradigm for sustainable data centers operations.
“Receiving this grant from ARPA-E is a tremendous honor and a testament to our unwavering dedication to creating a more sustainable world. We believe that data centers, being pivotal hubs of digital infrastructure, have a critical role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting energy efficiency. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with ARPA-E and contribute to the global efforts in combating climate change.” said Dr. Saeed Moghaddam.
By combining state-of-the-art technologies, innovative cooling techniques, and efficient server rack design, the project aims to optimize energy usage in data centers. The transformative solutions developed through this grant will not only benefit data center operators but also have far-reaching impacts on the environment, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future. In addition to the advancements in energy efficiency, the project will also focus on developing comprehensive monitoring and analytics tools to enable data center operators to track, analyze, and optimize their energy usage in real-time.
