Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), released its FY2024 Sustainability Report, marking the second edition of its annual ESG progress and transparency reporting. Building on last year's inaugural report, this year's edition outlines Hitachi Vantara's progress in sustainability, highlighting advancements in energy-efficient infrastructure, reductions in carbon emissions and responsible business practices. It showcases Hitachi Vantara's key achievements in FY2024, including ENERGY STAR® certification for multiple storage solutions, the expansion of global greenhouse gas (GHG) management and new sustainability tools that help customers track energy and carbon usage.
As businesses increasingly rely on AI and data-intensive workloads, the demand for power continues to grow, leading to higher energy costs and greater environmental impact. According to a 2024 Department of Energy report, data centres consumed 4 per cent of U.S. electricity last year and could reach up to 12 per cent by 2028. Navigating this challenge requires solutions that balance performance with efficiency – helping organisations manage growing data needs while keeping costs and carbon footprints in check. The new report highlights how Hitachi Vantara is addressing these pressures by delivering energy-efficient infrastructure that not only reduces environmental impact but also drives measurable cost savings for customers.
"We're proud of the progress we've made since our inaugural Sustainability Report, but we know the journey doesn't end there," said Sheila Rohra, CEO of Hitachi Vantara. "Our focus remains on highlighting how sustainability, particularly in the data centre, can be both a key driver of innovation and a business differentiator – from reducing carbon emissions to helping businesses achieve energy savings, enhance operational efficiency and meet their broader sustainability goals."
Key highlights from the report include:
Top ENERGY STAR Rankings: Several Hitachi Vantara storage solutions earned ENERGY STAR certification for their industry-leading performance and energy efficiency. Hitachi Vantara holds the top two rankings for the most energy-efficient storage systems in the ENERGY STAR NVSS Disk Online 4 category, with the Virtual Storage Platform One Block (VSP One Block) securing the highest spot.
Solar-Powered Distribution Centre: Hitachi Vantara's state-of-the-art solar-powered distribution centre in the Netherlands generates approximately 30 per cent of the electricity consumption from on-site solar production. The remaining electricity is sourced through verified Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), ensuring the centre operates entirely on renewable energy.
Recycled Materials: Currently, 40 per cent by weight of the materials used in the bezels of Hitachi Vantara's VSP One Block and File storage models come from post-consumer recycled plastics. These flame-resistant bezels meet safety standards and help limit impacts of fire. Hitachi Vantara plans to increase recycled content to 50 per cent by FY2030 through the expanded use of recycled materials in drive canisters, biomass-based parts and continued IT resource recycling.
Energy Consumption and Management: In FY2024, Hitachi Vantara consumed 78,211 MWh of energy, with 90 per cent of that from grid electricity and 35 per cent from renewable sources, such as solar and wind. Notably, following a 2024 data centre refresh at its Denver facility, which optimised the physical layout, consolidated infrastructure, and enhanced airflow, energy consumption was reduced by 50 per cent, and power usage effectiveness (PUE) improved from 1.6 to 1.3, demonstrating the impact of energy-saving initiatives in Hitachi Vantara's operations.
Carbon Neutrality and Sustainability Goals: Hitachi Vantara is committed to achieving carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by FY2030. The company has also set a target to achieve carbon neutrality across its value chain by FY2050.
Hitachi Vantara's commitment to sustainability goes beyond its own operations. Through its engineered products and solutions, the company helps enterprise customers and data centre operators reduce their carbon footprints while lowering operational costs and complexities.
A few recent examples include:
La Molisana (Italy): As one of Italy's leading pasta manufacturers, La Molisana implemented VSP One Block, resulting in a 30 per cent reduction in energy consumption and a 2.5x improvement in response times, supporting its global expansion and sustainability goals.
Malayala Manorama (India): This major media company benefitted from a new low-latency infrastructure, powered by Hitachi Vantara, leading to a 66 per cent reduction in rack space and a 70 per cent reduction in power and cooling costs.
Elisa Eesti (Estonia): One of Estonia's largest telecom providers, Elisa Eesti modernised its data infrastructure with Hitachi Vantara's Virtual Storage Platform (VSP), tripling energy efficiency and significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
"Sustainability was an important factor in our selection of VSP One Block," said Maurizio Maio, CIO of La Molisana. "Although the energy consumption of our data centre is relatively low compared to our manufacturing operations, we are keen to implement eco-friendly IT solutions. The energy-efficient VSP One Block aligns perfectly with our vision."
While the FY2024 Sustainability Report reflects on the achievements of the past year, Hitachi Vantara recently introduced its first key sustainability commitment of FY2025: a new Sustainability Guarantee that will be offered as part of its storage platform going forward.