Data Center Power Consulting — A Complete Professional Guide

Data center stakeholders prioritize maintaining uptime and continuing to scale. Transmission and power demands are pressuring facilities to work above their maximum capacities, requiring leaders to reduce consumption and streamline operations. 

They must seek expert advice to become more sustainable and adaptable to the future. The world of data center power consultants is vast, and they offer countless invaluable insights into developing the next generation of efficient infrastructure.

What Are Data Center Power Consultants and What Services Do They Provide?

Data center power consultants offer guidance on how to optimize operations for greater energy efficiency. Consultants also offer expertise on preventing disruptions, such as outages, overheating and environmental stressors. Their knowledge encompasses existing and innovative energy systems, including renewables and how they connect with the facility’s other utilities and critical hardware.

Consultants work alongside stakeholders to discover inefficiencies, safety concerns and logistical problems. Next, energy analyses and process discovery inform goals so data centers can improve. 

This process determines the type of services the consultants can offer or redirect managers to, such as connecting with a recommended contractor to replace insulation or installing a liquid cooling system to manage servers. Other responsibilities can include, but are not limited to:

• Providing information about the energy market.

• Engineering on-site energy generation.

• Meeting corporate social responsibility objectives.

• Establishing a microgrid.

• Enhancing risk management.

• Implementing artificial intelligence.

The advice is informed by regulatory agencies and legislative compliance. This will help data centers remain competitive and compliant as they grow and future-proof operations against related energy challenges, such as cybersecurity and climate resilience.

Who Are the Best Data Center Power Consultants?

Consulting services are widely available, but finding the ones with the most thorough understanding of the energy industry and data center trends is challenging. Discover the organizations with the most knowledgeable professionals that can help data centers optimize power consumption and lower carbon emissions.

1. TRC

TRC and its consultants are known for their commitment to research and accessibility. Its experts use evidence-based solutions to provide an end-to-end perspective for an agile, forward-thinking data center. It covers everything from power inspections, safety and operational productivity. 

It can also offer guidance on AI and other disruptive technologies, which may be inconsistent with established benchmarks. The professionals can guide corporations from a data center's inception during site selection to using advanced engineering while committing to environmental stewardship. 

2. AEI Consultants

AEI Consultants provides a breadth of data center services to make energy infrastructure more thoughtful. Its advisory services include financing power assets and maintaining responsible ownership. 

It has experience in other consulting services, such as commercial valuation and site investigations, which make its data center services competitively comprehensive. If organizations are satisfied with the power-related services, they can expand into other consulting avenues, like air quality management or resource management.

3. Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates has specialists dedicated to data center energy management. It leverages information based on market trends and economic assessments. The data allows it to analyze clientele objectively, providing the most productive solutions to become a thought leader.

These insights include how the data center’s energy assets relate to current tariff designs, load forecasting and green energy integrations. The team has been growing since its establishment in 1965, demonstrating a willingness to expand its services alongside the landscape’s needs.

Collaboration Creates a Sustainable Sector

Data center workers must invest their resources in improving technology and infrastructure. Sometimes, this requires third-party assistance. Even one meeting can help determine the areas in which the facility and its hardware could improve to save money and resources. Contacting an expert could be the gateway to fashioning a leaner, smarter data center that better accommodates its clientele.