By Eamonn Ryan
Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy is creating unprecedented demand for efficient, high-performance data centre cooling. As artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and hyperscale facilities reshape computing requirements, cooling systems capable of handling much higher heat loads are becoming an essential part of new infrastructure.
Georges Dubien, MEA sales director for Boreas and EXAGATE.
© RACA Journal
The growth of cloud services, AI applications and digital infrastructure is transforming the African data centre market, with demand increasing for cooling technologies capable of supporting high-density computing environments.
Turkish manufacturer Boreas showcased its portfolio at the 2025 Pan-African Data Centre Exhibition and Conference, where Georges Dubien, MEA sales director for Boreas and EXAGATE, outlined the company’s plans for the African market.
“We do all types of cooling for the data centre,” Dubien said. The company’s portfolio covers a broad range of applications, including Computer Room Air Conditioner (CRAC) units ranging from 8kW to 180kW, in-row cooling systems from 8kW to 35kW, and fan wall units capable of between 100kW and 500kW. Boreas also manufactures hygienic air handling units and industrial dehumidification systems.
Among the technologies attracting particular attention is rear door cooling, developed for the much higher thermal loads associated with AI computing. “This is specifically for artificial intelligence and high computing, where you can cool one rack up to 35kW or even 50kW,” Dubien explained.
Unlike conventional room-based cooling systems, rear door coolers remove heat directly at the server rack, allowing operators to increase computing density without completely redesigning existing facilities.
The company is also preparing products aimed at the next generation of AI infrastructure. “We have air-cooled rear door coolers that go up to 50kW,” Dubien said.
These systems allow operators to upgrade existing data halls to support higher-powered cabinets while avoiding major changes to their overall cooling infrastructure.
Looking further ahead, Boreas is developing a new intelligent Power Distribution Unit (PDU) capable of supporting loads of up to 100kW per cabinet, targeting the increasingly demanding requirements of AI-focused data centres.
The company believes these technologies will become increasingly important as Africa’s digital transformation accelerates and computing densities continue to rise.
