Latest news with #Barcelona-based
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Submerging servers in liquid helps data centres cut energy use
When Daniel Pope first floated the idea of submerging servers in liquid as an energy-efficient way to cool them a few years ago, his proposal was met with overwhelming scepticism from data centre equipment makers. But now, Pope's startup – Barcelona-based Submer – is a multimillion-dollar business, teaming up with technology giants such as Intel Corp and Dell Technologies Inc. The change in attitude reflects a pressing challenge: figuring out how to run data centres with less energy. The facilities, which support digital services ranging from TikTok to ChatGPT and Google Maps, last year consumed more electricity than Poland, Belgium and Norway combined, according to an April report by the International Energy Agency. That figure is set to more than double by 2030, driven largely by the massive computing requirements of artificial intelligence. As much as 40% of data centres' energy use goes towards cooling computing hardware, making it a ripe space for innovation. Among the possible pathways to achieve better efficiency, liquid cooling – an umbrella term that includes solutions such as Submer's – will likely help lower the data centre energy demand by more than 10%, according to Schneider Electric, a leading energy management firm. 'While 10% may not seem like a lot, consider the fact that a large AI data centre can consume over 100 megawatts of power, equivalent to about 75,000 US homes,' says Steven Carlini, who specialises in data centre solutions at Schneider Electric. 'At this scale, cutting energy usage by 10% is progress to be excited about.' Data centres' power-guzzling nature has made them unwelcome neighbours. Local authorities in Dublin last year rejected an application by Alphabet Inc's Google to build a data centre there, citing concerns over its potential impact on an already stressed electric grid. In recent months, anti-data centre signs have shown up in communities across the US. While big tech companies have spent billions of dollars sponsoring clean energy projects, their efforts to add more carbon-free electricity lag far behind what's needed. Microsoft Corp, for example, emitted 23% more carbon dioxide last year compared to 2020, due in part to a rapid expansion of data centres. Similarly, Google has seen its carbon emissions up by 48% over the past five years. A coolant that looks like baby oil To help tackle that problem, semiconductor manufacturers and data centre operators in recent years have been exploring using liquid to directly cool chips. Microsoft's Maia 100 chip, for instance, is designed to be attached to a cold plate, a metal device that's kept cool by liquid flowing beneath its surface. The tech company has also expressed interest in taking a step further, developing data centres where the whole computing hardware can operate in liquid baths. Known as immersion cooling, the technology involves plunging an entire server rack – the enclosure that houses servers, switches, routers and other computing components – into a specialised liquid that doesn't conduct electricity. The approach can be more efficient than direct-to-chip cooling, industry watchers say, but immersion cooling doesn't come without its problems, and the nascent sector has a long way to go before it can reach a meaningful scale. Submer uses a non-flammable synthetic liquid that looks like baby oil. The coolant – created at the startup's laboratory with feedstocks from the oil and gas industry – can also be made with palm oil, says Pope, the company's cofounder. Many immersion cooling liquids in the market contain PFAS, also known as 'forever chemicals' that don't break down naturally, but Pope says Submer's coolant is biodegradable. The liquid absorbs the heat generated by electronics, dissipates it through a heat exchanger built within the cooling container and then returns to the rack for the next round of cooling. The approach not only reduces energy use; it also tackles another problem. In the US, an average 100-megawatt data centre consumes about 2 million liters of water per day, a big portion of which is used for cooling, the IEA says. Intensive water demands have become an additional flashpoint between data centre developers and local communities, though some operators have started to equip data centres with water reuse or recycling systems to mitigate their environmental impact. In a way, computing hardware is like a human body: It functions best at certain temperatures. To prevent servers from overheating, many data centres deploy a potent version of air conditioning to blow chilled air across massive server rooms. But liquids can remove heat from solids more efficiently than air, and Submer says its cooling container is able to complete the same task at a higher temperature. That temperature difference, combined with the fact that immersion cooling targets the equipment that generates heat rather than an entire room, means this strategy uses less energy, Pope says. In a 2023 study funded by the Dutch government, researchers from the University of Groningen found that data centres equipped with immersion cooling used roughly 50% less energy than traditional air cooling. It also enables data centres to occupy less space, the researchers said. Too hot to handle Liquids have been used for cooling in high-voltage equipment like transformers for more than a century, but the technique was practically nonexistent in data centres until the recent computing boom started pushing conventional cooling methods to the limit. The world's appetite for high-performance AI tools not only has sparked a data centre building spree but also made it a lot harder to keep computing hardware operating at its optimal temperature, says Carlini of Schneider Electric. For instance, Nvidia's latest AI chip, the Blackwell B200 GPU, consumes almost two times more power than its predecessor, the Hopper H200. The more power a chip uses, the more heat it dissipates, and thus the more cooling it needs. And a data centre may deploy hundreds, or even thousands, of those chips. So far, Submer has deployed its cooling containers at dozens of data centres across 17 countries. The startup's revenue climbed to more than €150mil (RM 732.66mil or US $169mil) last year, up from about €600,000 (RM 2.93mil) in 2018, when its commercial sales debuted, Pope says. 'It's gone exponential in the last two years.' Other companies are also eyeing a slice of this emerging market. That list includes the Netherlands's Asperitas, Texas-based LiquidStack and Fujitsu in Japan. But even so, the market for this technology remains a fraction of what the industry spends on cooling: The global immersion cooling market reached US$400mil (RM 1.70bil) in 2023, compared to nearly US$13bil (RM 55.36bil) in global data centre cooling spending. Some hurdles stand in the way of wider adoption. While immersion cooling can help data centres lower their utility bills, it isn't cheap. Submer's system can cost as much as 25% more to deploy than the status quo, the company estimates, though it says that it's reached cost parity against air cooling at data centres with a substantial cooling demand. And for data centre operators with existing facilities, switching over to a whole different cooling technique not only requires modification of computing hardware, but also raises concerns over infrastructure safety: Can their floors withstand the weight of all the cooling containers flooded by liquids? The lack of industry standards in immersion cooling solutions adds another layer of complexity. Since data centres typically phase out servers every few years, operators would have to consider, for instance, how to ensure the cooling containers they deploy today remain compatible with future computing hardware. Soaking servers in liquid also makes it harder to do maintenance. 'Once you put them in the tubs, it's very messy to do any kind of replacement,' Carlini says. That doesn't worry Pope, who likens servers designed for air cooling to cars. 'You shouldn't put a car in the water,' he says. To that end, Submer is working with the semiconductor industry to develop 'boats' – a new generation of servers designed for the new cooling method. – Bloomberg
Time of India
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Who is Luca de Meo, reported to be Kering's new CEO?
Gucci owner Kering is planning to appoint Luca de Meo , currently CEO of French carmaker Renault , as its new chief executive officer , according to a report in newspaper Le Figaro. Below are some facts about the potential new head of the French luxury group, whose brands include Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta. Who is he? De Meo, 58, is from Milan, Italy, and has more than 30 years' experience working in the automotive sector . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Duong Bau Tram 1: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo He graduated from the Luigi Bocconi Commercial University with a degree in business administration. De Meo has been praised by commentators for his strategic vision and ability to revive struggling brands. He decided to step down from Renault to take on new challenges outside the automotive sector. Live Events Career De Meo began his career at Renault in the early 1990s, before moving to Toyota Europe in the late 1990s. In 2002, he joined the Fiat Group, where he held leadership roles across several brands including Lancia, Fiat, Abarth and Alfa Romeo. He played a key role in the relaunch of the Fiat 500 city car and the revival of the Abarth brand. In 2009, he moved to the Volkswagen Group as marketing director, a role that covered both the Volkswagen brand and the group as a whole. In 2012, he was appointed to the board of Volkswagen's premium brand Audi AG, responsible for sales and marketing. From November 2015 to January 2020, he served as chairman of Volkswagen's Spanish unit SEAT, overseeing a resurgence in the Barcelona-based company's sales and boosting its prominence within the Volkswagen group. He also sat on the supervisory boards of Ducati and Lamborghini, and chaired the board of Volkswagen Group Spain. In July 2020, he became CEO of Renault S.A., later also taking on the role of chairman and joining the company's board. He turned around the French automaker in his five years at the helm, overhauling its two-decade-long strategic alliance with Nissan and doubling down on hybrid motors while shifting towards electric vehicles. Between November 2023 and March 2025, he was CEO of Ampere, Renault's electric vehicle and software unit. He has also served as President of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) since January 2023. What's the challenge? De Meo would take the helm of Kering at a time when the group's underwhelming performance of recent years has cast doubt on the effectiveness of its current strategy and leadership.
Mint
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Mint
Who is Luca de Meo, reported to be Kerings new CEO?
(Corrects sourcing of assertion in headline and paragraph 1 that de Meo is in line to join Kering to news report from company; information is not confirmed) By Anna Peverieri and Mateusz Rabiega June 16 (Reuters) - Gucci owner Kering is planning to appoint Luca de Meo, currently CEO of French carmaker Renault, as its new chief executive, according to a report in newspaper Le Figaro. Below are some facts about the potential new head of the French luxury group, whose brands include Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta. De Meo, 58, is from Milan, Italy, and has more than 30 years' experience working in the automotive sector. He graduated from the Luigi Bocconi Commercial University with a degree in business administration. De Meo has been praised by commentators for his strategic vision and ability to revive struggling brands. He decided to step down from Renault to take on new challenges outside the automotive sector. De Meo began his career at Renault in the early 1990s, before moving to Toyota Europe in the late 1990s. In 2002, he joined the Fiat Group, where he held leadership roles across several brands including Lancia, Fiat, Abarth and Alfa Romeo. He played a key role in the relaunch of the Fiat 500 city car and the revival of the Abarth brand. In 2009, he moved to the Volkswagen Group as marketing director, a role that covered both the Volkswagen brand and the group as a whole. In 2012, he was appointed to the board of Volkswagen's premium brand Audi AG, responsible for sales and marketing. From November 2015 to January 2020, he served as chairman of Volkswagen's Spanish unit SEAT, overseeing a resurgence in the Barcelona-based company's sales and boosting its prominence within the Volkswagen group. He also sat on the supervisory boards of Ducati and Lamborghini, and chaired the board of Volkswagen Group Spain. In July 2020, he became CEO of Renault S.A., later also taking on the role of chairman and joining the company's board. He turned around the French automaker in his five years at the helm, overhauling its two-decade-long strategic alliance with Nissan and doubling down on hybrid motors while shifting towards electric vehicles. Between November 2023 and March 2025, he was CEO of Ampere, Renault's electric vehicle and software unit. He has also served as President of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) since January 2023. De Meo would take the helm of Kering at a time when the group's underwhelming performance of recent years has cast doubt on the effectiveness of its current strategy and leadership. His appointment, if confirmed, would mark a change of direction. Kering shares have lost more than 60% of their value in the last two years, marked by a string of profit warnings and designer changes at Gucci, a former cash cow for the company and still its most important brand by sales and profits. The group has lately failed to convince stock market investors of its plans to turn Gucci around. (Reporting by Anna Peverieri and Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk, editing by Matt Scuffham and Jan Harvey)
Fashion Network
12-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Spanish brand Desigual launches limited-edition Studio line, inspired by Barcelona
Barcelona-based fashion brand Desigual is expanding its portfolio with a new premium line. On September 10, the company will unveil Studio, a limited-edition collection, with a dedicated runway show in its home city. 'With Studio, we want to showcase Desigual at its most extreme, in its purest expression. This first Studio FW25 (Fall/Winter 2025) collection draws inspiration from Barcelona—creative, ambitious and deeply rooted in our DNA. Studio allows us to reaffirm the brand's distinctive identity and to celebrate design in its highest form,' said the brand's product director, Fernanda Blasco. The new premium line reinterprets Desigual's signature codes, delivering a fresh aesthetic that reflects the brand's creative evolution. The collection features expressive and colorful pieces with a bold, feminine style, crafted from high-quality materials. The launch supports Desigual's ongoing transformation strategy, which aims to refresh and rejuvenate its image. Recent initiatives include a capsule collection with New York designer Tyler McGillivary and the appointment of Spanish actress Ester Expósito as the brand's new ambassador to attract a younger audience. Thomas Meyer founded the Barcelona-based company in 1984. Today, Desigual operates more than 280 standalone stores and is present in 107 markets worldwide through 10 sales channels. In fiscal year 2024, the company generated revenue of €332 million, driven primarily by growth in international sales and the strong performance of its online channel.
CairoScene
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Select 336: Mixed by Kira
Barcelona-based Lebanese DJ Kira delivers an extragroovy electro house mix. Jun 12, 2025 In this edition of Select, we have a special guest from Barcelona: Kira, a Lebanese-born and raised DJ who has been keeping dancefloors on all toes with her distinct electro house mixes, often spinning in irresistibly danceable and sassy bass-driven sounds. Her set is a cohesive, groovy and bold mix that bounces between various genres and styles–a summary of Kira's colourful influences, featuring tunes like 'Chut Hello' by Emi Omar, 'What's dat Called Again' by Pagenty, and 'Trippinhg in the 16th' by Martin Buttrich. Listen to the full set below: SceneNoise · SCENENOISE KIRA
