🤯 Superconductors: Microsoft's Data Center Revolution! ⚡️
Tech
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Microsoft is investigating the potential of high-temperature superconductors to revolutionize data center design. The company aims to utilize materials with zero electrical resistance to create more efficient data centers and bolster electrical grids. According to Microsoft GM of Global Infrastructure Marketing Alistair Speirs, this exploration focuses on strengthening grids and minimizing the impact of data centers on surrounding communities. Researchers, including Dennis Whyte at MIT, are examining the technology’s application, noting its evolution from projects like the SPARC fusion machine. Microsoft’s interest lies in both internal data center cable flexibility and potential collaborations with energy companies to develop long-distance power lines utilizing this novel material.
MICROSOFT’S EXPLORATION OF SUPERCONDUCTIVITY FOR DATA CENTERS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
Microsoft is investigating the potential of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) to revolutionize data center design and energy grid infrastructure, driven by the escalating demands of generative AI and the limitations of current copper-based systems. The company recognizes the significant challenges posed by the power consumption of AI and the impact of data center construction on local communities.
THE POTENTIAL OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS
High-temperature superconductors offer the promise of near-zero electrical resistance, dramatically reducing energy loss during transmission and enabling more compact designs. Unlike traditional copper wires, HTS cables can move electrical current with no resistance, slashing energy waste. This technology is already utilized in applications like MRI machines and, increasingly, in short stretches of power lines in densely populated areas such as Paris and Chicago.
THE ROLE OF GENERATIVE AI AND SUPPLY CHAIN SHIFTS
The surging demand for power from generative AI is accelerating Microsoft’s interest in HTS. Tech companies’ difficulties connecting to power grids due to insufficient infrastructure has intensified the need for a more efficient solution. Furthermore, research into nuclear fusion, fueled by the potential for HTS material supply, has begun to lower the costs of the material itself. The supply chain for rare-earth barium copper oxide, a key component of HTS cables, is currently concentrated in China, a factor Microsoft is keenly aware of.
MICROSOFT’S TWO PRIMARY APPLICATIONS FOR HTS
Microsoft’s primary focus with HTS revolves around two key applications within its data centers. Firstly, smaller, HTS cables would allow for greater flexibility in the layout of electrical rooms and hardware racks, optimizing space utilization. Secondly, the company is exploring the use of HTS in long-distance power lines, aiming to significantly reduce the space required compared to conventional transmission lines – potentially shrinking overhead lines from 70 meters to just 2 meters.
DEMONSTRATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS
Last year, Massachusetts-based superconducting company VEIR, funded by Microsoft, demonstrated the feasibility of HTS cables delivering the same power with a 10x reduction in cable dimensions and weight. Ziad Melhem, a professor at Lancaster University, highlighted the “future data center will be superconducting” and emphasized the potential for high power, efficiency, and compactness. Microsoft is also collaborating with companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems, backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures, to explore fusion power, further benefiting from HTS material advancements.
ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE BOTTLENECKS AND JURISDICTIONAL CHALLENGES
The deployment of HTS power lines is seen as a crucial step in addressing the bottlenecks hindering the modernization of the power grid and connecting data centers. The lengthy and complex approval processes associated with building large infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions represent a significant hurdle. However, the reduced space requirements afforded by HTS cables could dramatically cut down on construction time and costs. Dennis Whyte, a professor at MIT, noted this as an "obvious evolution" of the technology.
A CIRCULAR ADVANTAGE: FUSION AND DATA CENTERS
Microsoft’s investment in HTS for data centers is creating a virtuous cycle, benefiting both the data center sector and the development of nuclear fusion technology. The increased demand for HTS material is driving innovation and cost reductions in fusion research, while advancements in fusion technology are, in turn, bolstering the availability and affordability of HTS for data centers. This “come full circle” scenario highlights the interconnectedness of emerging technologies and the potential for mutually beneficial collaborations.
This article is AI-synthesized from public sources and may not reflect original reporting.