Energy & Power, Heating, Cooling & Drying

Building Small Energy Savings into a Sustainability Win for Data Centres

Burkert 3 minutes ago

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As digital infrastructure continues to expand to support artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and the demand for continuous connectivity, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important challenge for data centre operators.

Data centres are under growing pressure to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and optimise resource consumption while maintaining the reliability and availability that critical digital infrastructure demands.

Much of the attention surrounding data centre efficiency understandably focuses on power-hungry processors, servers and large-scale cooling systems. However, there are also significant opportunities to reduce energy consumption within the many smaller components that operate continuously behind the scenes.

Among these components, electrically actuated valves represent an often-overlooked opportunity to improve data centre energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of cooling infrastructure.

While the energy consumption of an individual valve may appear relatively insignificant, the cumulative effect of thousands of continuously operating components can become much more meaningful. For operators managing large-scale or high-density facilities, even relatively small improvements in the efficiency of individual components can contribute to measurable reductions in overall energy consumption.

Greg Wainhouse, Bürkert’s Regional Business Development Manager for Industrial Water, North Europe, explains.

Modern data centres rely on precise thermal management to ensure reliability, performance and uptime. As computing densities increase, particularly as AI and other high-performance applications place greater demands on processors, the amount of heat generated within data centre environments also increases.

Heat must be removed quickly and consistently to prevent equipment from exceeding its operating temperature. This has accelerated the adoption of advanced liquid-based cooling approaches, where coolant circulates close to heat-generating components and carries thermal energy away through carefully controlled flow circuits.

Such systems depend on responsive valves capable of reacting rapidly to changing thermal loads. The valves therefore have an important role to play in maintaining the precise control required by modern data centre cooling systems.

Cumulative energy demand

However, the sustainability implications of these valves are often underestimated.

Traditional solenoid valves operate using a single electromagnetic coil that must remain continuously energised to hold the valve in position. While each valve consumes only a modest amount of power, the cumulative effect across hundreds or thousands of units operating around the clock can be significant.

In a large data centre, these relatively small energy demands can accumulate over years of continuous operation. The result is an ongoing electrical load that contributes not only to operational costs but also to the facility’s overall carbon footprint.

Over time, this persistent energy draw contributes not only to higher operational costs but also to increased carbon emissions. This challenge reflects a broader issue in industrial design: components optimised for performance are not always optimised for energy efficiency.

For data centre operators seeking to improve power usage effectiveness and reduce their environmental impact, this creates an opportunity to look beyond the most obvious sources of energy consumption.

Improving the efficiency of individual components can form part of a wider strategy that addresses energy demand throughout the cooling and fluid control infrastructure.

In a sector where marginal gains can translate into substantial environmental benefits, rethinking such components becomes essential. Reducing the baseline energy demand of widely deployed devices offers a scalable pathway to more sustainable operations.

This is particularly relevant as the UK’s data centre sector continues to expand and electricity demand from digital infrastructure becomes an increasingly important consideration.

The National Energy System Operator has estimated that data centre electricity demand in Great Britain was 7.6 TWh in 2025 and could increase substantially over the coming decades.

Against this backdrop, improving energy efficiency at every level of the data centre becomes increasingly valuable.

Changing the design status quo

One emerging approach is the use of staged power actuation in valve design.

Rather than relying on a continuous high-energy input, this method applies an initial surge of power to move the valve into position followed by a much lower level of energy to maintain that state.

The principle is relatively straightforward. A valve requires more energy during the initial actuation phase than it does once it has reached its required position. By matching the power supplied to the actual requirements of each stage of operation, unnecessary energy consumption can be avoided.

By aligning energy use more closely with functional requirements, this design significantly reduces overall consumption without compromising responsiveness or reliability.

The implications of this shift are considerable. Across large installations where hundreds or even thousands of valves operate simultaneously, reducing the energy requirement of each unit can lead to substantial aggregate savings.

Importantly, these savings extend beyond electricity costs. Lower energy consumption directly correlates with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, supporting broader decarbonisation goals and helping organisations meet increasingly stringent sustainability targets.

For data centre operators this can also support a more holistic approach to energy management. Rather than relying solely on major infrastructure projects to achieve efficiency improvements, operators can identify opportunities throughout the facility where relatively simple changes can deliver cumulative benefits.

Cumulative benefits

In addition to energy efficiency, such designs can also improve thermal performance at the component level.

Reduced power consumption generates less internal heat, which in turn lowers the thermal stress placed on materials and surrounding systems. This can be particularly relevant in environments where large numbers of components operate continuously and where heat management is already a critical consideration.

Lower operating temperatures can enhance durability, extend service life and reduce maintenance requirements. Each of these factors contributes to both economic and environmental sustainability by minimising waste and reducing the resources required to replace, maintain and service equipment over its operating lifetime.

This highlights an important principle when assessing data centre sustainability. Energy efficiency should not necessarily be viewed as a single measurement of electrical consumption. The wider lifecycle of the equipment should also be considered, including its reliability, maintenance requirements, operating temperature and expected service life.

Alternative methods for improving valve efficiency such as pulse width modulation (PWM) have also gained in popularity. These systems regulate power by rapidly switching the valve on and off, effectively controlling the average energy input.

While effective in certain applications, they introduce additional complexity and can create vibration and noise. Over extended periods, these mechanical stresses may impact system stability and longevity, raising questions about their suitability for long-term high-reliability environments.

For critical data centre infrastructure, where reliability and continuity of operation are paramount, the simplest solution is not necessarily the one that provides the greatest energy saving on paper. Instead, efficiency needs to be balanced with operational stability, component life and ease of integration.

Simplifying the equation

In contrast, simplified approaches that deliver efficiency without added operational complexity are often better aligned with sustainability objectives.

Reducing the number of components, minimising wear and maintaining stable operation all contribute to a lower total environmental footprint. These considerations can become increasingly important when equipment is deployed at scale.

In this context, energy efficiency must be evaluated not only in terms of immediate consumption but also through the lens of lifecycle performance.

System-level design also plays a critical role. Integrating components into optimised assemblies can reduce material usage, streamline installation and maintenance and result in a more compact design.

Well-integrated systems require fewer resources to manufacture and operate, reinforcing the principle that sustainability is best achieved through holistic design rather than isolated improvements.

This approach is particularly relevant to data centre cooling systems. As liquid cooling becomes increasingly important for managing the thermal loads associated with high-density computing, the efficiency of the supporting fluid control infrastructure will become an increasingly important consideration.

Liquid cooling can provide an effective method of transferring heat away from high-performance computing equipment. However, the pumps, valves, controls and other components used to circulate and regulate coolant must also operate efficiently if the wider system is to achieve its full potential.

This means that improving the efficiency of a valve should not be considered in isolation. Instead, it should form part of a broader assessment of the complete cooling system and its energy requirements.

Looking beyond headline efficiency

As data centre operators work towards ambitious sustainability and decarbonisation targets, attention is increasingly turning towards the efficiency of the infrastructure surrounding IT equipment.

The most visible energy consumers will continue to attract significant attention. Servers, processors and cooling systems can all account for substantial amounts of energy. However, the combined consumption of smaller components can also represent an opportunity for improvement.

This is where incremental innovation can make a difference.

A component that saves only a relatively small amount of electricity may not appear transformational when considered individually. When multiplied across a large data centre operating continuously throughout the year and then considered across multiple facilities, however, the potential becomes much more significant.

The same principle applies to maintenance and replacement. A component that generates less heat, experiences less thermal stress and operates reliably for longer can help reduce the resources and energy associated with servicing and replacing equipment.

Consequently, the sustainability benefits of efficient valve technology can extend beyond the direct reduction in electricity consumption.

Cumulative efficiency gains

As the scale of data centres continues to increase, incremental innovations in component efficiency will become increasingly important.

While no single technology can address the sector’s environmental challenges in isolation, cumulative gains across multiple systems can deliver meaningful progress.

The focus is shifting from headline innovations to the optimisation of every layer of infrastructure including those that traditionally received less attention. In this evolving landscape, manufacturers are re-examining established technologies to align them with modern sustainability priorities.

Bürkert, for example, has developed its Kick & Drop coil technology as a response to the inefficiencies associated with continuously energised solenoid valves.

The technology uses a high-power ‘kick’ to actuate the valve followed by a low-energy ‘drop’ to maintain its position. According to Bürkert, this approach can reduce energy consumption by up to 80% per valve.

The principle is based on a dual-winding coil. A short high-power electrical pulse provides the inrush power required to open the valve. After approximately 0.5 seconds, the system switches to a lower-energy holding current. This allows the valve to remain in position while consuming substantially less power.

The approach therefore addresses one of the fundamental inefficiencies associated with continuously energised solenoid valves: the requirement to maintain a relatively high power input even after the valve has completed its actuation.

Beyond energy savings, Bürkert’s design also addresses durability and operational stability. Lower energy consumption results in reduced self-heating which can contribute to longer service life and reduced calcification. Bürkert states that its Kick and Drop technology can provide up to 45 K less self-heating.

The technology is also designed to provide increased activation power when required. Bürkert states that the temporary increase in energy input can provide up to 200% more activation power compared with conventional operation.

These characteristics demonstrate how energy efficiency does not necessarily need to come at the expense of performance. Instead, intelligent component design can allow energy to be used when it is needed most while reducing consumption during continuous operation.

Supporting data centre sustainability goals

For data centre operators, technologies such as energy-efficient solenoid valves can form one part of a wider sustainability strategy.

Reducing energy consumption at component level can support efforts to lower operational expenditure while also helping to reduce the carbon intensity associated with facility operation. When combined with efficient cooling systems, optimised controls and increasingly efficient IT infrastructure, these smaller improvements can contribute to a more comprehensive approach to data centre energy management.

The wider benefits can also extend to system design. Bürkert’s Kick and Drop technology integrates the control electronics into the coil which can eliminate the need for additional control components. Bürkert says this can save space, simplify installation and increase operational safety.

For facilities where space, reliability and maintainability are important considerations, these characteristics can complement the direct energy-saving benefits.

This reinforces the importance of considering energy efficiency throughout the complete lifecycle of data centre infrastructure. A sustainable data centre is not simply one that consumes less electricity at the IT equipment level.

It is one where the supporting infrastructure is designed to minimise energy use, resource consumption, maintenance requirements and environmental impact wherever practical.

Small changes with a large-scale impact

The continued expansion of AI, cloud computing and digital services means that data centre operators will face increasing pressure to improve efficiency while maintaining the reliability demanded by critical infrastructure.

The scale of this challenge means that major efficiency projects will remain important. However, there is also value in examining the smaller components that operate continuously throughout the facility.

Electrically actuated valves provide a good example. Individually, their energy consumption may appear relatively insignificant. Across a large installation operating continuously for years, however, the cumulative demand can become substantial.

Technologies that reduce this baseline consumption therefore offer an opportunity to make efficiency improvements without fundamentally changing the way the wider system operates.

For data centre cooling applications in particular, where precise and reliable control of coolant flow is essential, combining responsive valve operation with lower energy consumption can support both operational and sustainability objectives.

Ultimately, the path towards more sustainable data centres is unlikely to depend on a single breakthrough. Instead, it will be shaped by a combination of improvements across power systems, cooling infrastructure, controls, IT equipment and the many individual components that keep facilities operating.

Bürkert’s Kick & Drop technology illustrates how reconsidering a familiar technology can create an opportunity to reduce energy consumption while also addressing heat generation, durability and lifecycle performance.

When applied at scale, such innovations demonstrate how targeted improvements in component design can support broader sustainability goals. For data centre operators, the message is clear: small energy savings can become significant when multiplied across thousands of continuously operating components, helping to reduce environmental impact while also supporting lower total cost of ownership.

For further information, contact;

Bürkert Fluid Control Systems
Greg Wainhouse
Regional Business Development Manager – Industrial Water, North Europe
Tel.: +44 1285 64 87 20
sales.uk@burkert.com
www.burkert.com

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Burkert Fluid Control Systems

01285648720
sales.uk@burkert.com
http://www.burkert.com/
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About us

Bürkert is present in thirtyfive countries around the world. We also work with a large network of distributors and partners, which means we are as close as possible to our customers. This global presence ensures full service and support to all of our customers in every country around the world. Research is the lifeblood of our company.

At Bürkert, we are never satisfied with the status quo and are continually seeking new technologies and solutions for our customers. Every year, our people develop new and highly advanced products and solutions, ranging from integrated process measurement and control units to the most sophisticated systems used in pharmaceutical research. To be a market leader, we are also an R&D leader.

Therefore, our investment in research & development is one of the highest in our industry. In our research centres in Germany and France, 150 people are committed to working for a common future for our company and our customers. We are committed to offering our expertise wherever it is needed, anywhere in the world. This global presence ensures that our advances in fluid control technology are also global.

What we do in a nutshell

Manufacture of process equipment. One of the few manufacturers to provide solutions for the complete control loop.

Where we supply to

UK Ireland, Europe

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Food and Beverage, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Water and Wastewater

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