Closed-loop cooling systems save water but can be a drain on electricity

This article discusses the trade-offs of closed-loop cooling systems for data centers, which conserve water but demand more electricity. Researchers at the University of Utah's Cloud Lab in Salt Lake City, led by Professor Robert Ricci, are studying these systems to improve data center efficiency. They highlight that while these systems significantly reduce water consumption compared to evaporative cooling, they require more power to dissipate heat. The findings are particularly relevant to O'Leary Digital's proposal for a massive 3 to 9 gigawatt data center in Box Elder County, Utah, which plans to use a closed-loop cooling system. O'Leary Digital claims its system would require minimal water, powered by a gas pipeline separate from Utah utilities, and aim for near-zero water usage despite natural gas power production typically being water-intensive. However, Ricci expresses skepticism regarding the feasibility and implementation of such a low-water system at the proposed scale, noting that advanced, low-water cooling technologies are currently limited and untested for projects of this magnitude. He emphasized the need for detailed, unbiased studies to verify O'Leary Digital's claims about water usage.