Engie has launched the first digital outcome-focused service in Singapore, using the Avril Digital platform that has been designed to provide initial and predictive analysis with the purpose of managing the efficiency of data centres.
In March 2018, Engie announced it would invest S$80 million in Singapore over the next five years to develop an innovation centre to drive regional energy efficiency through the application of digital technology.
The service will use advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies, identify performance shortfalls and predict operational threats before any more damage can be caused.
Furthermore, a tailored service solution will be provided through the Avril Digital platform that will provide accurate fact-based actionable insights that would enable a fast remedy to any unforeseen problem in addition to steps to take to ensure another similar incident does not occur again in the future.
“Singapore continues to be Asia Pacific’s top location for data centre operations,” said Pierre Cheyron, CEO, Engie Services Asia Pacific. "It is estimated that Asia Pacific’s data centre services’ market size will exceed the European market size by 2021.
"However, most data centres in Singapore, many in the middle of their lifespan, were designed and constructed without sustainability and energy conservation in mind.
"Thus, this represents a tremendous opportunity for data centres here to step up and play their part in helping the environment."
A study by real estate services company Cushman & Wakefield late 2017 ranked Singapore as the most robust market for data centres in the Asia Pacific region.
Ten Asian hubs were surveyed in the report, with Singapore ranking highly for its network infrastructure and its extensive connectivity to major Asia Pacific markets, ahead of South Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan.
"With the rising complexities in data centre operation and operational costs, traditional data centre solutions and reactive approaches are no longer enough,” said Joycelyn Longue, director of business development, smart digital solutions, Engie Infrastructure Technology Solutions.
“Companies can leverage Avril Digital Outcome-focused Services to gain control of energy use and achieve high rates of return in the form of energy savings.
"Companies that utilise this approach are ultimately paying for performance resulting in benefits of up to 50 per cent reduction in operation costs and optimise their energy efficiency by up to 30 per cent."
In November 2017, in an effort to reduce the power consumption of local data centres, the infocomm media development authority (IMDA) launched a new initiative, dubbed the BCA-IMDA Green Mark for Data Centres scheme, to recognise data centre operators who follow best practices and rank highly on energy efficiency.
Based on the results of this scheme, data centres would be classified into categories such as platinum, goldplus and gold - the rating is considered valid for three years and has to be renewed thereafter.
Such an initiative by Engie will better equip data centre operators to meet compliance requirements such as the BCA-IMDA.
Based on early pilot deployments of the Avril Digital platform, improvements in managing energy efficiency were seen, as well as improved operational decision making, fault management, acting on operational threats early, and maximising asset performance, are additional benefits.
