Toward a Systematic Survey for Carbon Neutral Data Centers

Data centers are experiencing unprecedented growth as the fourth industrial revolution’s supporting pillars and engine for future digitalized world. However, data carbon-intensive enterprises due to their massive energy consumption, it is estimated that center industry will account 8% of global carbon emissions by 2030. Meanwhile, both technological policy instruments reducing or even neutralizing have not been thoroughly investigated, despite fact several cloud providers including Google Facebook, pledged achieve neutrality in hyperscale centers. To bridge this gap, survey paper proposes a roadmap towards carbon-neutral takes into methodologies. We begin presenting footprint centers, well some insights major sources emissions. Following that, plans discussed summarize current efforts direction. In what follows, we introduce market instrument explain how offset cost-efficient manner. On front, propose achieving increasing renewable penetration, improving efficiency, boosting circulation simultaneously. A comprehensive review existing technologies on these three topics elaborated subsequently. Based this, multi-pronged approach envisioned digital twin-powered artificial intelligence (AI) framework proposed make solution reality. Furthermore, key scientific challenges putting such place discussed. Finally, applications presented demonstrate its enormous potential.