The researchers mounted lightweight turbines on chillers
The challenge of powering energy-intensive AI data centers is a growing concern for companies like Microsoft and Oracle who are exploring options like nuclear power, but now, researchers from the Distance University of Madrid (UDIMA) in Spain and Mision Critica-Data Center in Bogotá, Colombia have approached the energy issue differently.
Rather than focusing on powering a data center, they are exploring how these facilities can generate their own electricity by harnessing the airflow produced by cooling fans, effectively turning the waste wind into a source of renewable energy.
HVAC systems common in data centers expel warm air outdoors, creating a consistent, untapped wind resource that can be converted into electricity.
