Microsoft is transforming the cloud industry’s approach to sustainability by publishing the first comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of datacenter cooling technologies. The groundbreaking study, featured in Nature, goes beyond traditional operational metrics to measure the full environmental impact of four cooling methods — from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal.
“We’re advocating for the use of life cycle assessment tools to guide engineering decisions early on,” said Husam Alissa, director of systems technology in Cloud Operations and Innovation at Microsoft. “By sharing this tool with the industry, we aim to make sustainability planning easier and more accessible.”
Key Findings on Cooling Technologies
The study evaluated four cooling methods: traditional air cooling, cold plates, one-phase immersion, and two-phase immersion. Liquid-based cooling systems, such as cold plates and immersion cooling, show significant environmental advantages:
- Cold plates and immersion cooling reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15–21%, cut energy use by 15–20%, and slash water consumption by 31–52%, compared to traditional air cooling methods.
- Cold plate technology, which Microsoft is actively deploying, works by directly cooling server chips through a flat container filled with coolant.
While two-phase immersion cooling shows the highest energy efficiency gains, it currently relies on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are under increasing regulatory scrutiny. As a result, Microsoft has not yet adopted this method in its live operations.
“It was interesting to see that cold plates could perform just as well as the two immersion cooling methods,” said Teresa Nick, director of natural systems and sustainability at Microsoft.
Renewable Energy Plays a Key Role
The study also highlighted the significant environmental impact of energy sources. Transitioning datacenters from conventional energy grids to 100% renewable energy could reduce GHG emissions by 85–90%, regardless of the cooling technology used. Microsoft is working toward fully renewable energy consumption, purchasing offsets when local sources are unavailable.
Open-Source Tool for the Industry
To accelerate sustainability across the cloud sector, Microsoft is releasing its methodology and tools through an open research repository. This tool allows other cloud providers to input their own data, perform lifecycle assessments, and make informed decisions about cooling methods.
“Our goal is not to declare a ‘one-size-fits-all’ technology,” Alissa emphasized. “What we’re offering is a customizable tool that enables organizations to understand and assess sustainability trade-offs across their entire datacenter lifecycle.”
This open-source tool will help cloud providers integrate sustainability considerations into their design processes, enabling data-driven decisions that go beyond just cost and performance. By sharing these insights, Microsoft hopes to catalyze broader adoption of sustainability practices across the industry.
In the long term, the initiative underscores Microsoft’s broader commitment to integrating sustainability into every aspect of its cloud infrastructure, making it easier for the industry to adopt environmentally responsible practices while optimizing operational performance.
