FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2025 | 7 “PENNSYLVANIA IS A NET ENERGY PRODUCER. WE ARE IN AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION TO TECH COMPANIES THAT WANT TO GET POWER FOR THEIR AI DATA CENTERS.” — Shalinee Kishore, Iacocca Chair, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of ACES this component of data centers. “We have interdisciplinary faculty focused on different aspects of these data centers working together on solutions,” Khazaei said. Other areas supported by ACES include modeling thermal loads of machine learning models and their impact on power requirements for data centers, microgrid and virtual power plant solutions for managing interconnected AI data centers, heat exchange solutions, waste heat recovery and scalable demand response models to manage peak load and load variability. “We take all of our focus expertise and we know how to make the ‘LEGO® pieces’ click together to solve the bigger problem. That’s what I think is a real benefit of ACES,” said Kishore. “Our team draws on expertise on energy management systems, thermal management systems, energy generation, storage and grid interface solutions. This allows us to look at how a variety of energy-saving solutions can be integrated together.” In addition to Kishore and Khazaei, the ACES research team includes: Arindam Banerjee, Paul B. Reinhold Professor and department chair of mechanical engineering and mechanics; Farrah Moazeni, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering; Carlos Romero, research professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics; Alberto Lamadrid, professor of economics; and Shamim Pakzad, professor and chair of civil and environmental engineering. Conducting Student Research Civil and environmental engineering student Maddie Burns ’27 and electrical and computer engineering student Saimonth Muñoz ’26 (read more about him on page 18) work with Moazeni on data center direct-to-chip cooling solutions. This research is very new and exciting, and only continues to grow in importance as AI advances rapidly occur, said Burns. “I am keenly interested in improving operational efficiency and reducing water consumption in data centers,” said Burns. “Traditional air-cooled systems often rely on water-based cooling towers in a secondary loop to dissipate heat, even though the primary cooling appears to be air-based. In contrast, direct-to-chip liquid cooling allows heat to be absorbed more efficiently at the source, minimizing the volume of coolant and potentially eliminating the need for water-intensive cooling infrastructure, thus reducing overall water usage.” In an age of rapidly growing computing demands, improving how we cool chips isn’t just technical, but it’s essential for sustainable innovation, Muñoz added. At the systems level, electrical engineering student Refia Temizkan ’28 is applying advanced modeling tools to develop integrated sizing strategies for backup generators and distributed energy resources. “Data center electricity demand is accelerating, and even brief power interruptions can trigger six-figure losses,” she explained. “Integrating cleaner, distributed resources alongside traditional backup is therefore becoming a strategic imperative rather than a nice-to-have. By coupling these tools, I will generate techno-economic scenarios that explicitly balance cost, reliability and sustainability.” The outcome, she hopes, will be a decision-support framework that helps data center operators meet surging power demands, cut outage risk and progress toward carbon-reduction targets—all while maintaining competitive total cost of ownership. Taking the Next Steps ACES is at the forefront of developing technology and policy solutions that enhance energy efficiency while ensuring grid resilience and cost. In October, the center will host a symposium bringing together research universities, community colleges, industry leaders, municipalities and the state government to discuss the energy challenges of data centers. ACES will bring its expertise in optimized electrification technology and policy solutions across a range of sectors to secure the future of energy systems in everyday communities, including those that are, or soon will be, homes to data centers.—Emily Collins Farrah Moazeni, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, and civil and environmental engineering student Maddie Burns ’27 work together in the lab on data center direct-to-chip cooling solutions. CHRISTA NEU
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