A supply chain survey released by Bernstein on November 10th shows that although next-generation AI data center architectures are exploring solutions to reduce mechanical cooling equipment, chillers are unlikely to be replaced in the short term. The organization interviewed five purchasing managers from hyperscale cloud vendors, emerging cloud vendors, and data center hosting providers, finding that chiller delivery cycles have extended to 12-18 months, with an overall upward trend over the past year to year and a half. Bottlenecks involve OEM capacity, key components such as compressors, fans, and controllers, and customized engineering capabilities. Among major suppliers, Johnson Controls (JCI) performed best overall, followed by Carrier and Trane; Daikin received a good evaluation for its cost competitiveness. In the long term, dry coolers have limited effectiveness in hot regions such as Phoenix and Dallas. Furthermore, different AI workloads have varying requirements for liquid cooling, and cooling systems still need to accommodate other facilities and electrical equipment. Therefore, operators will continue to include chillers in their multi-year construction plans. However, the number of chillers required per megawatt for some new architectures may decrease slightly in the future.
