Resilient and Sustainable Data Center for a Low-Carbon Digital Future

The rapid expansion of data centers, propelled by the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), large language models (LLMs), and cloud computing, represents one of the most significant technological developments of the modern era. However, this growth presents critical challenges. Data centers are among the largest and fastest-growing consumers of electricity, placing substantial strain on power grids and energy infrastructure. Their expansion also raises serious concerns related to carbon emissions, water consumption, and electronic waste. As the digital economy continues to evolve, it is increasingly evident that technological advancement must be accompanied by the responsible and sustainable management of natural and energy resources. Achieving a resilient, low-carbon, and sustainable digital future will therefore require coordinated efforts among engineers, data scientists, and policymakers.Data centers are increasingly functioning as experimental platforms for advanced energy management paradigms. The integration of renewable energy and on-site generation, the adoption of advanced cooling technologies, participation in demand response programs, and the scheduling of computational workloads based on carbon intensity are transforming how computing systems interact with the broader energy network. These innovations illustrate the growing potential for digital infrastructure to actively contribute to sustainability and grid resilience. This Research Topic aims to showcase the latest research and practical advancements that facilitate sustainable growth in the data center sector, while minimizing environmental impacts and mitigating stress on power systems. Interdisciplinary submissions are invited from the fields of power and energy systems, computer engineering, sustainability science, and policy.We welcome original research and review articles focusing on the following (but not limited to) areas:• Modeling and management of large flexible loads from data centers in transmission and distribution systems;• Renewable energy integration, on-site generation, and microgrids for sustainable data centers;• Carbon-aware computing, demand response, and energy-flexible AI workloads;• Advanced cooling systems, waste heat recovery, and water efficiency strategies;• Energy-efficient computing architectures and DC power distribution in data centers;• Integration of hydrogen, nuclear, and storage resources for decarbonized digital infrastructure;• Environmental and lifecycle assessments of large-scale computing systems;• Policy frameworks, standards, and transparency in reporting carbon and energy metrics;• Socioeconomic implications of large-scale data center development and sustainability transitions. Topic editors: Preetham Goli, Manoj Kumar Nallapaneni, Mohammad Sadi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/75927/resilient-and-sustainable-data-center-for-a-low-carbon-digital-future