Energy Sources for Data Centers: Between Growth and Sustainability and the Role of Bioenergy

Data centers are physical facilities that house computer systems and related infrastructure, such as servers and storage, used to store and process data. They form the foundation of a nation's computing power and are a core dependency in building large-scale Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI data centers, in particular, are particularly energy-intensive. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a typical AI data center currently uses as much energy as 100,000 households, while large AI centers currently consume about 20 times that amount (2 million households).

The computing power needed to support AI growth is also doubling approximately every 100 days. For example, Malaysia, it is not surprising that data center energy consumption in Malaysia is projected to soar to more than 5,000 MW by 2035, which is 40 percent of Peninsular Malaysia's current power capacity, or 11.1 percent of Malaysia's projected power capacity in 2035. Meanwhile, in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the projection of data center electricity consumption in Indonesia has increased significantly, predicted to reach 5,200 MW in 2034 and could even reach 12,000 MW in 2033. And the current capacity in 2025 is only around 274 MW and with a predicted growth of 16.8% per year, it can reach the target of >2,000 MW in 2029.

There are at least two main drivers of growth in the data center industry. First, demand-side factors include the growth of cloud computing and AI, along with the increasing global demand for data storage and processing capacity for everyday tasks like social networking, e-commerce, and data storage. Second, supply-side factors include the availability of resources such as electricity and water, fiber optic connectivity, and land availability.

In the growing data center industry, high or wasteful energy consumption has contributed to rising electricity prices for residents and small businesses. Each country should learn from these case studies as they strive to strike a balance between growth and sustainability. For example, in Georgia, the fastest-growing data center market in the country, Georgia Power reports that 80 percent of the projected 8,200 MW increase in energy demand by 2030 is related to planned data centers opening in the state. To address the increased demand, base electricity rates have been raised and new nuclear power plant (NPP) are under construction.

Georgia is an attractive market for data centers, given its relatively low electricity prices, with industrial electricity rates about 42 percent below the US national average. Significant tax relief was also promised, with at least $163 million in state collections eliminated and local sales tax annually starting in 2022. However, starting in 2023, the average Georgia Power residential customer will pay $43 more per month following a base rate increase. To address this challenge, a Senate bill was introduced to protect residential and commercial customers from higher electricity bills due to the utility's significant investment in AI-powered energy needs.

Efforts to address the increasing energy demand for data centers while reducing their environmental impact are necessary. Typical approaches include optimizing Power Use Effectiveness (PUE) and related metrics, as well as shifting to renewable energy. The use of renewable energy for data centers remains limited, or even at a small capacity of less than 5%. Renewable energy sources still prioritize solar and intermittent wind.

Industry participants also state that the intermittent nature of solar energy (at least without a well-developed battery storage system) does not make it an ideal energy source for data centers, given the need to keep data centers running 24/7. With limited solar generating capacity, data centers often rely on backup diesel generators. While renewable diesel (biodiesel and green diesel) is an available option, there are currently no regulations encouraging this transition.

Biomass as an energy source, or bioenergy, for data centers is still very limited. This biomass can be used directly in biomass power plants, where the CFB type is very common, or through co-firing in coal-fired power plants. Furthermore, biomass can be utilized as an energy source and biochar production through pyrolysis technology, as is the case with this US company. The syngas from pyrolysis serves as a carbon-neutral energy source, and biochar is the primary product for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), resulting in carbon-negative operations. 

Water Crisis, Bioeconomy and Climate Change

The water crisis is part of an environmental disaster that greatly affects the lives of all living things including humans. Environmental disasters such as the water crisis also have a cause. The main cause of this is due to environmental damage caused by human hands. If the environment is not maintained, a number of such disasters occur. Victims of the disaster not only affected the perpetrators of environmental destruction but also other communities. Deforestation so that the land becomes barren and arid is the main cause of the water crisis. In the dry season it results in a water crisis and in the rainy season has the potential for floods and landslides. Deforestation and illegal logging in general are closely related to economic interests and ignore environmental aspects.

During the dry season as it is today, many of us encounter areas that are drought and even some areas of forest fires occur. More technically and in detail the drought causes the decrease in the supply of clean water from water sources to decrease, the level of lake water or reservoirs to hold water, the wells to dry up as well as the rivers. A number of regions have even experienced a marked decline in water supply and levels. There is no living creature that can live without water, because water is a vital need for living things, even in the Qur'an it is explained that Allah SWT created living things from water (QS Al-Anbiya, verse 30), the human body itself 70% is water.

So many critical lands, marginal lands, up to idle lands that are not utilized, and these lands will be increasingly damaged such as desertification and the potential to cause various disasters. This should be utilized so that potential disasters can be minimized. Furthermore, these lands should also be able to provide economic benefits so that forest destruction can also be minimized. When the community has been able to be economically independent by utilizing these lands, the protected forest can be well preserved. The solution to environmental problems as well as economic aspects is the right solution and below there are 2 scenarios that can be done, namely first,bamboo plantation for biomaterials and energy plantations for biomass  energy supplies. Aside from deforestation, water crisis is also a result of climate change. The high concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere affects the climate change and the solution of making these plantations as well as a medium to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.

Bamboo as Biomaterial
Bamboo trees are very familiar to almost all people and many people still use bamboo until now. But the use of bamboo is mostly still on a variety of products that have low added value so that it is economically less attractive. Bamboo trees also have great potential for large plantations with a top priority for environmental improvement and a second priority as a source of biomass feedstocks for biomaterials. Bamboo plantations are for environmental improvement because the plantations are able to prevent erosion, absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, O2 sources and are able to lift groundwater so that it helps the availability of water. Although basically all trees are able to absorb and retain water, but bamboo trees have the ability above average that can lift the surface of ground water an average of 10 meters in 20 years or 0.5 meters annually. The water crisis that occurs can be reduced or eliminated by making bamboo plantations.

Bamboo plantations are also very effective for the supply of biomass  for biomaterials. When the bamboo tree is 5 years old, every month from its clump, bamboo stems can be harvested every month until the productive period reaches 60 years without replanting. As for wood from other trees, it generally takes 10 years or even more to be harvested once and replanting it for the next cycle. Furthermore, the use of bamboo so as to produce high economic value products is an important thing to do. Products such as bamboo composites, bamboo textiles, and flooring, are a number of uses of bamboo with high economic value. The quality of bamboo composites is special as well as bamboo textiles. Imports of textile raw materials that are still dominant today can also be reduced with bamboo textiles. Bamboo plantation and processing can be a model of bioeconomy and for more details can be read here, as well as further bamboo as a biomaterial can be read here.

Energy Plantation to Supply Biomass Energy
Although currently almost all energy producers from biomass are limited to utilizing waste wood from wood working industries, sawmill and agricultural waste, but because the supply of these wastes is limited and fluctuating, it is difficult to be relie upon to supply for large capacity and sustainable. In the near future it is estimated that the energy plantation will replace it. Energy plantations with fast rotation plants are the ideal solution for supplying large amounts of energy and sustainability. Wood pellets are one of the products that can be made from these energy plantation. The demand for wood pellets in the international market is increasing along with the awareness onenvironmental problems. Wood chips as a simpler product can also be made if the user of the biomass fuel is close enough to the energy plantation.

On a smaller scale, wood from energy plantations can also be used for briquette and charcoal briquette production. Briquette needs are not as much as pellets and charcoal briquettes, especially only for barbecue. Charcoal briquette or more popularly known as sawdust charcoal briquette has a large market especially in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Leaves from the energy plantation can also be used for animal feed, such as sheep, goats, cows and buffalo. The leaves also have a high protein content so that it becomes nutritious feed for these animals. Pasture can also be made in the energy plantation area so that the livestock business becomes effective and efficient, for more details, please read here. In terms of environmental aspects the energy plantation also plays a role in CO2 absorption, preventing erosion and water conservation. Even the roots of energy plantation plants that can absorb N2 from the atmosphere will increasingly fertilize the soil.

 If humans can make optimal use of the land to meet their daily needs by maintaining balance, caring for and not damaging it, then disasters such as water crises and landslides, InsyaAllah, will not occur. Utilize while maintaining the environment wisely so that it can continue to grow and be sustainable as well as a form of gratitude for the blessings of Allah SWT so that these favors are added by Him.
"If the inhabitants of the countries of faith and god fear, surely We will bestow upon them blessings from heaven and earth, but they deny (Our verses), then We torture them for their actions." (QS, Al A'raf: 96).

Food Energy Water for the World Community

"There will be no doomsday, until wealth has been piled up and abundant, until a man goes everywhere carrying his zakat but he does not get anyone who is willing to accept his zakat. And so that the Arab lands become fertile again prosperous with meadows and rivers "(HR.Muslim).

The earth will once again prosper before doomsday. In general gardens and forests like that also cause springs to appear (QS 36: 34) which in time will flow into the rivers (QS 19: 24-25) and also be your pleasure and your animals ( QS 79: 31). Basically, the earth is very sufficient to meet human needs, especially in 3 main things namely food, energy and water. In the era of bioeconomy that is believed to be in sight and we will soon experience it, a number of technologies will be developed to support these three main sectors in a sustainable manner. The emphasis on something that is sustainable  is increasingly emphasized to increasingly abandon or not at all use fossil sources (fossil free), especially in the energy sector. It is this aspect of sustainability that clearly distinguishes the fossil economy era from bioeconomy.

The Concept of Energy Plantation and Verticulture 

The tropics will be excellent for developing bioeconomy because of the availability of sunshine throughout the year. This tropical region will compete for entrepreneurs engaged in this sector, such as the African continent and Indonesia. The availability of vast land in the area is a key factor in the development of energy plantations. Energy is a vital need for human kind today, especially to drive economic sectors. With energy plantations, massive energy needs can be met. Fast rotation and coppice plants such as calliandra and gliricidae are the mainstay of energy plantations. In addition to the energy plantation will be able to conserve water, livestock business can also be developed by utilizing leaves waste from the energy plantations. Sheep, goat or cattle farms are ideal for utilizing leaves waste from the energy plantations. Honey bee keeping can also be developed by utilizing flowers from the energy plantation.

verticulture with skyscrapers

Calliandra Energy Plantation

Tall buildings were built not even for human habitation, but as agricultural land for food crops (verticulture). Verticulture farming is to meet food needs and facilitate its management. Modern farming techniques are used to maximize the quality and productivity of the farm. To support the success of agriculture, IOT (internet of things) with a number of sensors that can be read online is an integral part of agricultural management. The effectiveness and efficiency of farming can be increased rapidly so that high productivity and quality can be achieved, while large lands mainly for energy plantations. Biochar which can be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of fertilization can be applied to verticulture farming.  Apart from being made compost agricultural wastes can also be partially converted into biochar. For large capacity biochar production, the continuous pyrolysis units are the best choice. Compost and biochar production also makes the farming practices zero waste. Even with continuous pyrolysis technology, in addition to biochar, heat and electricity can also be produced. Liquid fuel namely biooil, is also produced from the continuous pyrolysis technology.

With the majority of land used for energy plantations, the energy needs, InshaAllah, can be fulfilled even the meat needs of the livestock business, as well as food production with verticulture. The ideal concept, if it can be implemented, should be a solution to the problems of life today. The concept can be implemented if humanity realizes the importance of the program and supports it. Technically, this can be done, and some have done it even on a smaller scale and it has not been fully integrated.

The coming era of bioeconomy should also be in line with the improvement of the economic system that gives a sense of justice to the world's population. With the current economic model it takes 800 years for the bottom billion people to reach 10% of global income. As a result of the current liberalism and capitalism, the richest 10% control 85% of global wealth. The three richest people in the world have assets of more than 47 GDP, the lowest gross GDP. 1% of the richest people own more than 50% of the world's wealth. This huge inequality should be overcome immediately with a equitable and prosperous economy. The transition from fossil economy to bioeconomy can be both an medium and a momentum for improving the economic system. The tropics, which were previously of a minor economic role, should have been increased and taken into account or even become a major player in the bioeconomy era.

Food Energy Water: A Perspective

The high environmental damage is mainly due to industrial activities that produce wastes that pollute the environment both solid, liquid and gas waste. In addition to damaging the environment, these wastes also pollute water, a substance that is needed by humans. While environmental damage leads to reduce the supply of clean water, industrial wastes cause a decrease in water quality. At the global level environmental damage, the high concentration of CO2 or greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has caused climate change and global warming that could threaten human life itself. The high concentration of CO2 is mainly due to the activities of the coal power plant industries. In addition to the exhaust emissions of coal power plants also contain mercury, heavy metals that are very dangerous for health. At least the impact due to low water and air quality has reduced the quality of human life. And now these conditions are common in various major cities in the world.

Here again biomass is the solution. When improving water and air quality is an important concern, activated carbon is the choice. Although currently most or about 80% activated carbon still comes from coal, but with increasing environmental awareness, renewable raw materials are increasingly increasing. Coconut shell is a very popular raw material for the production of activated carbon and Indonesia is also the owner of the largest coconut plantation in the world. Palm kernel shells and various other biomass are also potential for activated carbon. To reduce mercury emissions and polluted air from coal power plants, for example the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has made regulations for mercury and polluted air thresholds for these plants. In vehicles, canister (catalytic converter) it will also increase the quality of exhaust emissions. As for the quality of drinking water for example Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts in America have also regulated the concentration of a number of chemicals that are allowed in drinking water. The things above encourage the use of activated carbon as a solution.

Meanwhile, to reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere and to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere back to biomass as a solution. Biomass is a carbon neutral fuel so it will not increase the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere because of the production of biomass through photosynthesis. Wood pellet and PKS are biomass fuels which are very popular nowadays because they can reduce and even replace the use of coal in power plants and boilers in the industry. CO2 absorption from the atmosphere is carried out by plants which are also a source of biomass. Biochar or charcoal from plants used for agriculture can also absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. Production of wood pellets from energy plantations will also improve soil quality. Even arid and barren lands will flourish and can store water and avoid erosion due to the management of the energy plantation. Integration with sheep, goat and cattle farms with the energy plantation will optimize the results of the energy plantation. Large plantations for large farms should be integrated, for more details to read here. With this integration the food sector and land conservation are also an integral part.

World wood pellet needs are predicted to reach 50 million tons in 2024 while PKS also reaches 10 million tons in 2022. The largest market for biomass fuels, especially Europe, refers to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) program with a composition of 30 percent renewable energy use by 2030 and biomass gets the majority portion of 80% of renewable energy. Two countries namely Japan and Korea are the largest users of biomass fuels in Asia. PKS which has many similarities to wood pellets and is only produced in palm oil producing regions, especially Indonesia and Malaysia are the main competitors of wood pellets and are widely used in Japan and Korea. Some time ago a number of countries in Europe have also used PKS from Indonesia and the potential is also very large for Indonesia in the tropics for the production of wood pellets from energy plantations. As for the market activated carbon or the largest user is the Asia Pacific region with China as its biggest exporter. The projection of activated carbon production reaches almost 3 million tons in 2020 with a value of 4.46 million US dollars. Japan and Korea are also the biggest users of activated carbon. The second order of the market or the use of activated carbon is the North American region, mainly driven by regulations to reduce mercury and increase the quality of drinking water. The growth of industrialization in Indonesia and the abundance of biomass raw materials should also increase the production of activated carbon even with the target of meeting the export market, especially in the Asia Pacific region.