SUSTAINABLE COMPUTING – THERMAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Abstract

Sustainable Computing (also referred to as green computing) is the design, manufacture, use and disposal of information technology (IT) equipment and peripherals in a way that limits the harmful impact on the environment by manufacturers, data centers and end-users. In the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, which is responsible for over 300TWh of energy consumption, over 150 billion gallons water consumption and up to 3.9% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, sustainable computing has the potential for considerable positive environmental impact. Every aspect of modern IT — from the smallest chip to the largest data center — carries a carbon price tag, and sustainable computing seeks to reduce that carbon price tag. This talk will highlight some of the thermal management challenges in computer systems ranging from millimeter scale chips to kilometer scale data centers and associated opportunities that provide a pathway to sustainable computing.