Microsoft Aims to Redesign Data Centers for Space Efficiency
Microsoft is on a mission to revolutionize data centers by utilizing materials that enable electricity to flow without any resistance. These innovative materials, known as high-temperature superconductors (HTS), have the potential to transform the construction and efficiency of data centers and their associated energy infrastructure.
As tech companies face criticism over the substantial power demands of generative AI, the challenges of connecting to power grids that lack adequate infrastructure, and the impact of new data center construction on local communities, HTS could offer a solution. These superconductors could significantly reduce the physical footprint of data centers and the power transmission lines that supply them.
According to Microsoft’s GM of Global Infrastructure Marketing, Alistair Speirs, the company is investigating how HTS technology can enhance electrical grids and lessen the burden on nearby neighborhoods. Current data centers and much of our energy infrastructure rely on traditional copper wiring, which, while efficient, cannot match the capabilities of HTS cables. These superconductors can transmit electrical currents with zero resistance, drastically minimizing energy loss and allowing for lighter, more compact cables. HTS technology is already in use in MRI machines and has been implemented in short segments of power lines in major cities like Paris and Chicago.
However, the adoption of HTS has been limited due to the complexity and cost associated with integrating them into energy systems compared to copper. Achieving zero resistance requires cooling HTS to extremely low temperatures, typically using liquid nitrogen. The superconducting “tape” that forms the basis of these cables is often made from rare-earth barium copper oxide, which, while only needing a small quantity of rare-earth material, still relies heavily on a supply chain concentrated in China. Experts note that a significant challenge lies in ramping up the manufacturing capacity of this tape to make it more affordable.
The rising power demands from generative AI have sparked renewed interest in HTS research. In recent years, tech companies have invested in the development of nuclear fusion power plants, which are seen as the ultimate clean energy solution. Much of the HTS tape produced today is directed toward fusion research, and advancements in this field have helped reduce material costs.
Husam Alissa, director of systems technology at Microsoft, explains that the evolving landscape has prompted a reevaluation of HTS. The company is particularly focused on two applications for HTS: within data centers, where smaller cables can enhance the layout flexibility of electrical rooms and hardware racks, and in collaboration with energy companies to develop long-distance power lines.
Last year, with Microsoft’s support, Massachusetts-based superconducting firm VEIR demonstrated that HTS cables could deliver the same power as conventional cables while reducing dimensions and weight by about tenfold. Ziad Melhem, a professor at Lancaster University, envisions a future where data centers are built around superconducting technology, making them more powerful, efficient, and compact.
Outside the data center, Microsoft is keen to partner with energy companies to expand long-distance power lines using HTS. The current bottleneck in updating the power grid and connecting data centers often stems from the lengthy approval processes required for large infrastructure projects. HTS power lines could significantly reduce the space needed for transmission, with superconducting cables requiring only about 2 meters of clearance compared to the 70 meters needed for traditional overhead lines. This reduction could streamline construction time and costs.
Dennis Whyte, a professor at MIT, notes that this evolution in technology is a natural progression. While he hasn’t worked directly with Microsoft, he co-leads a project to build a fusion machine called SPARC, a collaboration between MIT and Commonwealth Fusion Systems, which has received backing from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
The growing interest in HTS for data centers could also benefit fusion companies by providing access to materials at lower costs, further advancing nuclear fusion technology. Microsoft has also established a partnership with another company working on a fusion power plant in Washington state, illustrating how these developments are interconnected.
