Telefónica Germany Deploys AI-Powered Digital Twin Platform to Optimize Data Center Energy Use

Telefónica Germany Deploys AI-Powered Digital Twin Platform to Optimize Data Center Energy Use

March 6, 2026

In a significant move to tackle soaring operational costs and sustainability goals, Telefónica Germany has completed the deployment of an advanced energy management and optimization platform across its entire portfolio of data centers and critical network sites. The initiative underscores the growing pressure on telecom and data center operators to manage escalating energy demands driven by relentless data traffic growth and computational needs.

Developed in partnership with UK-based software firm EkkoSense, the platform integrates a network of IoT sensors with advanced analytics and a real-time 3D digital twin. This system provides operators with a dynamic, granular view of thermal conditions and equipment performance across facilities. By creating a precise virtual replica of the physical infrastructure, the platform can identify cooling inefficiencies and generate automated recommendations for optimization, moving beyond the limitations of traditional Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) tools.

Early evaluations indicate the platform could reduce cooling energy consumption by 15 to 20 percent, a substantial saving for a major provider serving over 45 million customers in Germany. Beyond direct cost reduction, continuous thermal monitoring is expected to extend equipment lifespan and improve capacity utilization, potentially delaying costly infrastructure expansions. The digital twin also allows operators to simulate how technical rooms would behave under various load or failure scenarios, enabling proactive planning and mitigation.

Rüdiger Kunze, Head of Housing and Site Infrastructure at Telefónica Germany, stated, “Digitalization makes the data center visible, automation makes it intelligent. EkkoSense’s digital twin combines both, enabling operators to redefine energy efficiency and proactively guide their infrastructure into the future.” Echoing the shift from complex legacy systems, EkkoSense CEO Dean Boyle added, “By combining high-granularity sensing, real-time analytics, and 3D visualization, we are able to create a precise digital twin… that enables real-time operational optimization.”

The rollout, which can integrate new sites within days without service disruption, is set to expand in the coming years, prioritizing high-consumption locations. Telefónica Germany also plans to share insights from this deployment with other markets within its parent Spanish Telefónica Group, signaling a broader strategic adoption. The technology is a key component of the company’s autonomous network strategy and is currently being demonstrated at its innovation hubs in Madrid and Munich.

Source: datacenterdynamics