Organic Data Centres: Integrating sustainability, the digital economy and food security
As the world grapples with pressing challenges of sustainability and food security, innovative solutions are needed to address these complex issues. One promising concept gaining traction is the integration of data centres and agriculture in the form of floating organic data centres (ODCs).
A 2019 study by Ahmad Karnama of Sweden’s Ween Energy proposed ODCs as sustainable facilities, given the synergistic thermal and operation requirements of data centres and agriculture greenhouses, offering transformative potential. By harnessing the power of the sea, these centres offer a unique opportunity to achieve sustainability goals while ensuring food security.
The integration of data centres and agriculture in the form of floating ODCs creates a mutually beneficial relationship. Data centres generate substantial amounts of waste heat, which can be repurposed for other energy systems. While waste heat can be transported to various energy systems such as nearby buildings, or district heating, the combination of data centres with greenhouses stands out as the most ideal setup.
One of the key considerations is the temperature of the waste heat. Some stakeholders in the data centre sector perceive “waste heat” as a valuable resource and opportunity enhance sustainability. Current examples of heat being recycled from data centres includes heating residential buildings and swimming pools. ODCs instead repurpose this waste heat to grow crops indoors.
Waste heat from data centres typically has a lower temperature, which may not be suitable for direct use in district heating without further heating. However, greenhouses operate within a temperature range that aligns well with the heat produced by data centres. Therefore, waste heat from data centres can be directly utilized in greenhouses without the need for additional manipulation or heating.
Moreover, data centres are typically located in sparsely populated areas. This poses a distance challenge when it comes to efficiently transporting waste heat to other energy systems in more populated areas. In contrast, the integration of data centres and greenhouses presents a practical solution since greenhouses can be easily located near data centres. This proximity minimizes the transportation distance and losses, allowing for a more efficient utilization of waste heat.
Singapore, being a low-lying island nation, is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Floating ODCs offer inherent adaptability and resilience. As they are situated on the sea, they are less susceptible to land-based climate risks such as flooding.
Additionally, their mobility allows for easy relocation in response to changing environmental conditions, ensuring uninterrupted data services and sustained food production. This flexibility safeguards critical infrastructure and supports Singapore’s long-term sustainability goals..
In April 2023, Keppel Data Centres, a unit of the Temasek-owned Keppel Group, secured regulatory approval to proceed with its plans for a floating data center park in Singapore. The project was initiated in 2019 following an investment in Nautilus Data Centers. Keppel is exploring ways to enhance the sustainability of the modular floating data centre park, key among them being the use of seawater for cooling.
In addition to energy and infrastructure advantages, floating ODCs offer a unique environment that can be harnessed to test and develop advanced farming techniques and technologies. One example is the cultivation of rice with seawater.
The Qingdao Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and Development Center in China has been studying and developing rice varieties that can thrive in seawater. Such breakthroughs in rice cultivation using seawater and related developments like seawater greenhouses for crop production have profound implications for food security. This is true for countries like Singapore or any other island nation, which often have limited freshwater resources.
By utilizing the abundant seawater surrounding the floating ODCs, it becomes possible to experiment with and refine novel methods of cultivation that reduce reliance on freshwater resources. The controlled environments within floating ODCs offer ideal conditions for vertical farming and hydroponics or seawater farming, enabling efficient resource utilization and reduced environmental impact. These advanced farming techniques maximize crop yields and minimize the reliance on traditional land-based agriculture.
By embracing vertical farming and hydroponics within floating ODCs, Singapore can overcome the limitations of limited space and seasonality, ensuring a consistent supply of fresh and nutritious produce year-round. This local production contributes to Singapore’s food security by reducing dependence on imports and enhancing the resilience of the food supply chain.
Singapore’s pursuit of food security is closely aligned with the integration of vertical farming and hydroponics within floating ODCs. Recognizing the importance of reducing dependence on food imports, Singapore has made significant investments in the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme, with an initial investment of S$144 million in 2019 and an additional investment of S$165 million.
Temasek, Singapore’s state investment fund, has also assumed a leading role in agritech investments, committing up to US$300 million in startups across multiple countries. These investments demonstrate Singapore’s commitment to leveraging technology to strengthen the local food supply chain and enhance food resilience.
To enable floating ODCs, challenges related to managing competing land use, sectoral demands, regulations, and political will must be addressed. Effective resource management, access to sea estate, and financial capital are crucial for scaling up to meet the demands of both Singapore’s food security and digital economy.
Collaboration among Singapore’s government, international and local data centre players, and stakeholders in the local agricultural scene can enhance risk management, resilience, and sustainability in the food system. This also needs advocates within the public sector with strategic imagination and the risk appetite to back such schemes.
This collaboration also opens doors for integrating food security, digital infrastructure and agribusiness opportunities into a single element in the Indo-Asia Pacific (Indo-APAC) region and beyond. As Singapore strengthens its position as a data centre hub, it can simultaneously pursue sustainable decarbonization and bolster food security efforts. The integration of data centres and agriculture in the form of floating organic data centres presents a compelling solution for achieving sustainability and food security goals in Singapore.
Through resource optimization, enhanced energy efficiency, climate resilience, and the testing of advanced farming techniques, the mixed-use typology of floating ODCs offers numerous advantages over a pure data centre typology. By embracing this innovative approach, Singapore can lead the way in creating a sustainable and secure future.
