Nearly 7,000 of the world’s 8,808 operational data centers are located in climates that fall outside the temperature range recommended for efficient operation, according to a new analysis that maps global data center locations against long-term climate data. While only a minority are in regions that are persistently too hot, the findings underline how economic, political, and network realities often outweigh environmental suitability when companies decide where to build.
The analysis, published by Rest of World, combines location data for 8,808 operational data centers with historical temperature records from the Copernicus Climate Data Store. It compares those locations against guidance from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), which recommends that data centers operate most efficiently when inlet air temperatures fall between 18 C and 27 C. Above that band, cooling systems work harder, energy use rises, and costs increase. Below, condensation and reliability can become an inhibiting factor.
