Dr. Tomas Rahkonen

Dr. Tomas Rahkonen

Dr. Rahkonen is the Research Director Sustainability, Europe at Uptime Institute. Rahkonen has spent the last 25 years in positions within the telecommunications, mobile communications, and data center sectors globally, and most recently served as the CTO of Flexenclosure, where he managed the design and delivery of prefab data centers across four continents.

Latest Research

AI and cooling: limits on efficiency gains and heat reuse

While AI infrastructure build-out may focus on performance today, over time data center operators will need to address efficiency and sustainability concerns.

 
REPLAY | Uptime Intelligence Client Webinar: Cooling limitations for AI data centers

How far can we go with air? Uptime experts discuss and answer questions on cooling strategies and debate the challenges and trade-offs with efficiency and costs.Please watch this latest entry in the Uptime Intelligence Client Webinar series. The…

 
AI load and chiller systems: key considerations

Compared with most traditional data centers, those hosting large AI training workloads require increased attention to dynamic thermal management, including capabilities to handle sudden and substantial load variations effectively.

 
AI and cooling: methods and capacities

AI infrastructure increases rack power, requiring operators to upgrade IT cooling. While some (typically with rack power up to 50 kW) rely on close-coupled air cooling, others with more demanding AI workloads are adopting hybrid air and DLC.

 
Why regulation on temperature can be counterproductive

Raising supply air temperature is drawing interest from data center providers and regulators in some countries. While saving energy, it may also reduce resiliency. This report quantifies energy impacts to clarify when it can be beneficial.

Considerations of raised supply air temperatures

Increasing supply air temperature is gaining interest as an approach to potentially save data center energy. However, savings will not be universally possible and understanding its potential involves a complex multivariable analysis.

Briefing Reports 18 min read
 
A deep dive into certificates for carbon-free energy

Energy attribute certificates (EACs) are becoming the preferred option for demonstrating the consumption of carbon-free and renewable energy. However, there is still some considerable debate regarding what type of EACs to use.

Briefing Reports 22 min read
 
Maturity model for sustainability downplays site-level resiliency

Sometime after 2026, the EU is expected to adopt an upcoming version of CENELEC’s TS 50600-5-1 Maturity Model to assess data center sustainability. The current technical specification has some controversial elements.

Increased requirements for Scope 3 reporting and energy certificates

This report looks at the leading frameworks for carbon reporting with regards to energy attribute certificates (EACs) and Scope 3, including their sector-specific guidance (if any) for data centers.

Briefing Reports 24 min read
 
Critical role for Europe’s data center code of conduct

The EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency started out as a voluntary initiative but is increasingly being applied as a standard. This report describes the code’s technical contents and assessment process.

Briefing Reports 20 min read
 
Deployment models at the edge

Bringing certain IT workloads closer to users and connected devices helps organizations to manage data growth, user experience and expansion. This report looks at the deployment models for data center facilities and IT at the edge.

Briefing Reports 30 min read
 
Efficient servers hold the key to energy efficient data centers

Improving data center infrastructure energy efficiency is vital in helping organizations contain costs and carbon emissions that result from IT growth. This report compares seven projects using a data- and experience-based model.

Briefing Reports 33 min read
 
Edge plays a major role in hybrid strategies

Key findings from the Uptime Institute Edge Data Center Survey 2023 reveal how edge is becoming more important in hybrid infrastructure strategies.

Data Reports 9 min read
 
EU data center sustainability laws begin to take shape

The EU is introducing a raft of new financial and technical sustainability laws in the coming years. These laws will increase the regulatory reporting burden on owners, operators and users of European data centers.

REPLAY | Webinar: Transactions per megawatt-hour: Keys to increasing data center efficiency

IT efficiency can offer the keys to unlocking a more sustainable, efficient, and reliable data center. This session provides quantified examples of improvements in business and environmental performance.