6 min read

Sponsored

Updated: April 2026

Data centers face a triple squeeze: rising energy costs, AI workloads that double rack density, and EU regulations that will require Scope 1/2 verification starting in 2026. The biggest lever is cooling – it consumes up to 40 percent of total power. Anyone wanting to cut cooling energy by 50 percent without tearing out existing infrastructure needs a software-first approach. NEXAIRA.Systems from ebm-papst delivers exactly that.

The Key Takeaways

• 30 to 40 percent of data center power goes to cooling – the biggest operational cost lever after IT load itself (IEA, 2024).
• AI workloads drive rack density: By 2030, 40 percent of all data center workloads will run on GPU clusters with 40+ kW per rack (Dell’Oro Group, 2025).
• Retrofit instead of rebuild: NEXAIRA.Systems optimizes existing cooling systems via Digital Twin and AI control – no hardware swap required.
• Result: up to 50 percent less cooling energy – validated in live operations at a German data center operator (900 MWh and 240 tons CO2 saved annually).
• Data stays on-premise: On-premises architecture, no cloud mandate for sensitive operations data.

What is NEXAIRA.Systems? NEXAIRA.Systems is an AI-driven platform that transforms how data centers manage cooling. Instead of running compressors at fixed setpoints, it uses real-time sensor data and predictive models to operate fans and chillers only as needed. The system learns how heat flows through specific racks and rows, adjusts setpoints continuously, and eliminates oversized cooling that protects against worst-case scenarios but wastes energy 99 percent of the time.

Why This Matters Now

Energy cost spiral: Cooling electricity in Europe now costs EUR 60-120 per MWh. A 500-rack data center running 40 percent cooling load 8,760 hours per year spends EUR 2.1 to 4.2 million on cooling alone. A 50-percent cut is EUR 1 to 2 million per year.
Regulatory pressure: EU Directive 2024/2382 requires data centers above 30 MW to report cooling efficiency (PUE – Power Usage Effectiveness) starting 2027. Operators who cannot prove PUE < 1.3 face reputational damage and potential licensing restrictions in key markets. AI-driven density explosion: NVIDIA H100/H200 clusters run 30-40 kW per rack, triple the power of CPU-only racks. Existing chilled water loops and hot-aisle containment were designed for 10-15 kW per rack. Overprovisioning cooling is often cheaper than redesigning infrastructure – but NEXAIRA.Systems breaks that assumption.

The NEXAIRA.Systems Approach

1. Digital Twin Setup NEXAIRA deploys thermal sensors in target racks and rows (no retrofit of the entire facility required). The system builds a granular model of airflow, heat propagation, and equipment interdependencies. This takes 2-4 weeks and costs a fraction of hardware changes.
2. AI-Driven Setpoint Optimization The platform learns when rack temperatures can safely run higher without throttling CPUs/GPUs. Compressor and fan speeds adjust in real-time. If row A detects a spike, the system pre-cools adjacent zones. If a rack is idle, cooling is dialed back immediately.
3. Active PFC (Power Factor Correction) Integration ebm-papst’s EC motors support variable-speed control. NEXAIRA.Systems coordinates motor speeds across multiple cooling devices to maintain grid stability and reduce harmonic distortion – a bonus for grid operators and reduces equipment stress.

Proof: The German Data Center Operator Case Study

A mid-market German data center operator running a 12 MW facility with mixed workloads (40 percent AI, 60 percent traditional compute) deployed NEXAIRA.Systems across 120 racks.
Baseline (2024):

• Annual cooling energy: 1,800 MWh
• PUE: 1.45
• CO2 footprint (cooling): 540 tons (assuming 0.3 kg CO2/kWh German grid mix)

After NEXAIRA.Systems (2025):

• Annual cooling energy: 900 MWh (50 percent reduction)
• PUE: 1.18 (meets 2027 EU requirement)
• CO2 footprint: 270 tons (270-ton annual savings)
• Cost savings: EUR 54,000 to 108,000 per year (depending on regional electricity tariff)

No hardware was replaced. No new compressors, no new chillers, no new fans. Only sensors, software, and control logic. Payback period: 3-5 months. Uptime impact: zero.

FAQ

Does NEXAIRA.Systems work with all cooling architectures?

NEXAIRA works with chilled water loops, air-cooled units, and hybrid systems (hot-aisle containment + in-row cooling). We’ve tested on Liebert, Schneider, Rittal, and Eaton systems. Compatibility matrix available in the online documentation.

How long is implementation?

Sensor deployment and commissioning: 2-4 weeks. AI training and tuning: 4-8 weeks. Production optimization: ongoing. Total time to 30 percent energy savings: 8-12 weeks; to 50 percent: typically 12-16 weeks.

What if our data center is already highly optimized?

Even best-in-class operators (PUE 1.2) see 20-30 percent gains because NEXAIRA operates at sub-second granularity and learns individual rack thermal profiles. No facility is perfect; waste exists in every cooling system.

Does NEXAIRA.Systems require cloud connectivity?

No. All control logic runs on-premises via a dedicated appliance. Cloud connectivity is optional – only for remote monitoring dashboards and firmware updates. Sensitive telemetry never leaves the facility.

How does NEXAIRA.Systems handle peak loads?

It predicts peaks using historical data, weather, and workload schedules. If a peak is imminent, cooling adjusts preemptively. If an unexpected spike occurs, the system falls back to conservative setpoints – no equipment damage, just temporarily reduced energy savings. Manual override is always available.

What is the ROI timeline?

Payback period: 3-6 months. Multi-year savings potential: EUR 300,000 to 500,000+ for a 500-rack facility. Additional upside: compliance with 2027 EU PUE requirements, reduced risk of cooling failures, and improved brand reputation in the growing market of sustainability-conscious cloud buyers.

The Verdict

Data center operators face an impossible choice: keep cooling energy costs spiraling, or buy new hardware. NEXAIRA.Systems closes that gap. By treating cooling as a continuous optimization problem rather than a static design, it cuts energy by half, pays for itself in months, and requires no physical infrastructure changes. For any operator running racks above 15 kW or operating in high-electricity-cost regions, NEXAIRA.Systems is worth a serious pilot. The 2027 EU efficiency mandate will make it essential.

About ebm-papst: ebm-papst is the global leader in EC motor-driven cooling and heating systems for data centers, telecom, and industrial applications. The company partners with OEMs and operators to reduce energy consumption via intelligent thermal management. Learn more: ebm-papst.com/nexaira.