The SAFES Institute is hosting a series of data center-themed talks to help faculty and extension educators learn about the data center related-research that is already happening at Penn State and to build a community of expertise that can speak to Pennsylvania residents' concerns about the construction of new data centers in the state.
Topics will include the challenges of keeping data centers cool, the impacts of data centers on electricity rates, community perceptions of data center development in PA, and more. We hope the series enables many new interdisciplinary research collaborations and research-extension partnerships.
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
The Challenges and Opportunities in Keeping Data Centers Cool
Wangda Zuo - Professor of Architectural Engineering, Penn State
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Location: Food Science 342
Abstract: Driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, data centers are projected to consume up to 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028, up from approximately 4% in 2023. Cooling alone accounts for roughly 40% of total data center energy consumption, making it a critical challenge for both operators and the power grid. In parallel, the growing scale of data center deployment has prompted increased attention to their interactions with local energy systems and water resources. This seminar will first review the current landscape and emerging trends of the data center industry. It will then introduce major data center cooling technologies and discuss the technical and operational challenges associated with maintaining thermal reliability at scale. A real-world case study of a data center in Massachusetts will be presented to illustrate these challenges in practice, along with insights drawn from ongoing academic–industry partnerships with data center facilities in Pennsylvania. Finally, the seminar will highlight recent research advances aimed at improving cooling efficiency and discuss how these advances create new opportunities for more sustainable and resilient data center operations.
Recording:
