By Dr Thomas D. Krom, Segment Director, Environment, Seequent
In today’s digital age, data centres are the backbone of our connected world, powering everything from cloud services to AI-driven applications. Hyperscalers such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon Web Services are building bigger and faster than ever before, with McKinsey estimating USD$7 trillion will be spent on data centre infrastructure globally by 2030. Efficient and resilient data centre construction and operation is imperative for operators to both keep pace with demand and maintain their social licence to operate.
An overlooked aspect of data centre planning and operation is the need to understand the underground, or subsurface. The subsurface is not just the soil and rock on which a data centre is built; it is a dynamic, often little-understood environment that can represent both a major risk and a strategic opportunity.
The unseen threats to uptime
Before the first server is racked, a critical decision is made: where to build. Too often, this decision is based on surface-level factors such as land cost and fibre access, while the geological realities below are overlooked. Building on unstable ground or in a seismically active zone is equivalent to constructing a house of cards. What happens when unforeseen ground conditions, for example encountering contaminated soil that needs to be remediated, lead to costly construction delays and increased material waste? Or worse, when subtle ground shifts or seismic tremors compromise the structural integrity of a facility designed for 100% uptime?
Digital twins that incorporate subsurface understanding are a pathway to quantifying these risks, evaluating mitigation strategies and communicating this critical information to stakeholders.
Climate change adds another layer of unseen risk. Rising sea levels and extreme weather events are creating new flood risks (both from rivers and rainfall). Changing groundwater levels can impact the stability of foundations and even cripple infrastructure. A subsurface-informed digital twin enables site selection and operation with a deep understanding of these evolving strategic threats; it is foundational due diligence.
The AI power paradox
Bob Pragada, CEO, Jacobs Solutions, told CNBC’s Jim Cramer recently that since Jacobs were first involved in data centres in 2007, and since the advent of AI, data centres have become a lot more complex to build and manage. He outlined the value of creating a digital twin, saying that with a digital twin you can simulate in a digital space what is happening with compute load, the effect that it has on the utility requirements and then longer term how you operate it.
Mr Pragada said there are some places where the grid can handle the energy needs, and other places where they cannot, which means alternative sources of power need to be considered. As power needs expand and given volatile energy prices and issues with the grid, creating reliable capacity available 24/7 is the smart solution. The subsurface holds the key, for those willing to look.
Geothermal is a reliable renewal option which can provide energy security for data centres.
Next-generation geothermal energy, pioneered by companies such as Fervo Energy, is a game-changer. In a landmark project, Fervo successfully developed an enhanced geothermal system that now delivers 24/7 carbon-free energy to Google’s data centres in Nevada. They used Seequent’s advanced subsurface modelling to support drilling horizontal wells into previously inaccessible hot rock, creating a reliable, ‘always-on’ power source. But it is not just next-generation technologies powering this future. Traditional geothermal is in high demand because it is continuously available baseload power – and the data centres that power our always-on world cannot afford interruptions. In New Zealand, another Seequent customer, Contact Energy, has partly funded its Te Huka 3 geothermal plant in a 10-year power purchase agreement with Microsoft which is building three data centres near Auckland.
Factoring in energy security for data centres is not just a stability win; it is a competitive advantage, especially when reliable renewable solutions can be deployed – while others remain tethered to volatile energy grids.
The water wars: a ticking clock
The world’s water resources are under pressure, and data centres can be huge consumers of water.
Source: Shutterstock
A data centre’s water consumption—up to 19 million litres, or 5 million gallons, a day, the same as a small city – makes it a lightning rod for community conflict and regulatory risk. Communities in the US, Canada, Europe and beyond are mobilising to question the local impact of data centres, asking questions about a range of issues starting with one of our most fundamental human requirements – access to water, and further stress on water resources already under significant pressure. Guessing about your water source is a path to a stranded asset. Understanding the subsurface removes the guesswork, and your digital twin can encompass this too. It allows operators to precisely map and model aquifer capacity, simulate the impact of withdrawal, and ensure a sustainable supply that does not threaten local communities. It is the tool that transforms an operator from a simple consumer of water into a strategic steward. You are not just avoiding a water war; you are securing your social licence to operate for decades.
From vulnerability to resilience
Considering the subsurface is not a matter of choice; it is fundamental to a data centre’s long-term viability. Every aspect of the lifecycle, from the stability of its foundations, and the sustainability of its power and water sources, depends on a deep understanding of the ground beneath.
By embracing a digital twin approach that includes vital subsurface intelligence, connecting the above and below ground picture, data centre owners and operators can turn their greatest hidden risk into an asset.
But are these risks being taken seriously, and are the right steps being taken to manage them? It is time to stop gambling and start building the future of the world’s digital infrastructure on a foundation of certainty.