image: Dr Aleksandr Donodin
Credit: Dr Aleksandr Donodin
- Aston University researcher to receive £625,000 to help cut the soaring amount of energy guzzled by data centres
- Award is one of just 12 to be granted this autumn by The Royal Academy of Engineering
- Research will examine fibre-optic networks for solutions to the increasing power demands of the centres.
An Aston University researcher is to receive £625,000 to help tackle one of today’s most pressing challenges - the soaring amount of energy guzzled by data centres.
The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced the latest recipients of its fellowships which support engineers to solve a wide range of society’s challenges.
Dr Aleksandr Donodin who is based in the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT) is one of just 12 to be granted funding this autumn. He will be examining fibre-optic networks to find solutions to the increasing power demands of data centres. The International Energy Agency (IEA) works with governments and industry to safeguard energy for the future and predicts that from 2024 to 2030 data centres energy consumption will grow by around 15% per year, more than four times faster than the growth of total electricity use from all other sectors.
Dr Donodin will be exploring the use of the networks and bringing together bismuth-doped fibre amplifiers which have tiny amounts of the metal bismuth added to them, and optical frequency combs which are used to measure and control light very accurately.
It will be the first time this combination is explored in detail and if successful could cut power consumption in optical networks by 30–50% per bit. It will also enable O-band range of light wavelengths to reach transmission capacities beyond 200 terabytes per second, 2.3 million times faster than the average British household broadband connection, which is enough to stream millions of HD videos at once.
Dr Donodin said “I am delighted to receive this fellowship for my research which is called Next generation of Energy-efficient Optical Regional and Data Centre Connections.
“Beyond its technical ambitions, the project strengthens Aston University’s role as a hub for sustainable, next-generation optical networks - reinforcing the UK’s leadership in critical digital technologies.
“To translate the technology to real world, the project will connect everyone from the top to the bottom of the telecom supply chain. We will work closely with device suppliers like Lightera and Pilot Photonics, draw the expertise of equipment manufacturers like Coherent and Nokia bell labs. And finally, we will collaborate with the leading telecom operator in Japan. KDDI. on implementing the developed technologies for real world systems.”
The research fellowships programme is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and supports outstanding early-career researchers to become future research leaders in engineering. The fellowships are designed to advance excellence in engineering by providing funding for five years to allow awardees the freedom to concentrate on basic research in any field of engineering. Amounts awarded are up to £625,000 over five years.
In addition to direct financial support, the programme provides an opportunity to establish a research track record and, in turn, to be in a stronger position to apply for additional funding and grow a research team.
Awardees also benefit from mentoring support from an academy fellow on research and career development as well as reduced teaching and administrative duties to allow time for research, training opportunities and networking.
Professor Jonathan Cooper FREng FRSE, chair of the academy’s research fellowships steering group, said: “Congratulations to all the successful candidates, drawn from across the engineering and computing sciences representing a range of diverse backgrounds and experiences. This cohort will work on ambitious programmes of research that address many of today’s societal challenges, including those around healthcare and an ageing population as well as the environment, sustainability and net-zero. Examples of their exciting work involves the development of neurotechnologies, renewables and materials repurposing as well soft robotics and quantum technologies. All of the projects demonstrate how engineering innovation has the potential to improve our lives and promote economic growth. Very well done!”