Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in Japan
As renewable energy adoption accelerates, resolving spatial and temporal mismatches in power dispatch has become increasingly important. Given that data centers are accounting for a growing share of global power demand, it is imperative to develop a strategic approach to renewable energy procurement...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Energy Strategy Reviews |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X25001865 |
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| author | Hiroki Naoi Rémi Delage Toshihiko Nakata Masaki Kozai |
| author_facet | Hiroki Naoi Rémi Delage Toshihiko Nakata Masaki Kozai |
| author_sort | Hiroki Naoi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As renewable energy adoption accelerates, resolving spatial and temporal mismatches in power dispatch has become increasingly important. Given that data centers are accounting for a growing share of global power demand, it is imperative to develop a strategic approach to renewable energy procurement that integrates workload shifting to balance supply and demand effectively. This study presents a framework that integrates spatio-temporal workload shifting and location planning to enable cost-effective, 100 % renewable-powered data centers through an 8760-h simulation covering ten regions in Japan. The framework demonstrates the complementarity of spatial and temporal strategies, achieving a 16.9 % reduction in system costs and a 32 % decrease in surplus power supply. Integrating location planning with spatial workload shifting enhances power demand distribution efficiency, achieving a 49 % improvement in the amount of spatial workload shifting. Geographic advantages, including renewable energy potential and cooler regional climates, are utilized to optimize data center locations. This study emphasizes the value of spatio-temporal strategies in overcoming the challenges of renewable energy surpluses and infrastructure overinvestment. The findings provide a robust foundation for sustainable data center development, underscoring the necessity of aligning geographic and temporal dimensions in renewable energy systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8c8bdbcd2ded41b09d7e1be3581ff3d7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2211-467X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energy Strategy Reviews |
| spelling | doaj-art-8c8bdbcd2ded41b09d7e1be3581ff3d72025-08-20T03:41:52ZengElsevierEnergy Strategy Reviews2211-467X2025-09-016110182310.1016/j.esr.2025.101823Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in JapanHiroki Naoi0Rémi Delage1Toshihiko Nakata2Masaki Kozai3Department of Management Science and Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-815 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, JapanDepartment of Management Science and Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-815 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan; Corresponding author.Department of Management Science and Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-815 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, JapanNTT Space Environment and Energy Laboratories, NTT Corporation, 3-9-11 Midoricho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8585, JapanAs renewable energy adoption accelerates, resolving spatial and temporal mismatches in power dispatch has become increasingly important. Given that data centers are accounting for a growing share of global power demand, it is imperative to develop a strategic approach to renewable energy procurement that integrates workload shifting to balance supply and demand effectively. This study presents a framework that integrates spatio-temporal workload shifting and location planning to enable cost-effective, 100 % renewable-powered data centers through an 8760-h simulation covering ten regions in Japan. The framework demonstrates the complementarity of spatial and temporal strategies, achieving a 16.9 % reduction in system costs and a 32 % decrease in surplus power supply. Integrating location planning with spatial workload shifting enhances power demand distribution efficiency, achieving a 49 % improvement in the amount of spatial workload shifting. Geographic advantages, including renewable energy potential and cooler regional climates, are utilized to optimize data center locations. This study emphasizes the value of spatio-temporal strategies in overcoming the challenges of renewable energy surpluses and infrastructure overinvestment. The findings provide a robust foundation for sustainable data center development, underscoring the necessity of aligning geographic and temporal dimensions in renewable energy systems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X25001865Green data centerEnergy modeling24/7 carbon-free energyDemand side managementRenewable energy |
| spellingShingle | Hiroki Naoi Rémi Delage Toshihiko Nakata Masaki Kozai Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in Japan Energy Strategy Reviews Green data center Energy modeling 24/7 carbon-free energy Demand side management Renewable energy |
| title | Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in Japan |
| title_full | Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in Japan |
| title_fullStr | Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in Japan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in Japan |
| title_short | Integrating location planning and spatio-temporal workload shifting for 100 % renewable energy data centers: A case study in Japan |
| title_sort | integrating location planning and spatio temporal workload shifting for 100 renewable energy data centers a case study in japan |
| topic | Green data center Energy modeling 24/7 carbon-free energy Demand side management Renewable energy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211467X25001865 |
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