3M's PFAS exit killed the supply chain for two-phase immersion cooling in DCs

3M's 2022 decision to exit PFAS manufacturing by end of 2025, driven by over 4,000 lawsuits and a $12.5 billion settlement over water contamination, eliminated the supply chain for two-phase immersion cooling fluids (Novec 7100, Novec 649, Fluorinert FC-72) used in data centers. Meanwhile, Germany's Energieeffizienzgesetz mandates new data centers reuse at least 10% of waste heat starting July 2026, with thresholds rising annually. The industry also faces scrutiny over water consumption, with 72% of data centers' water footprint occurring off-site at power plants, compounding concerns amid what the UN terms 'global water bankruptcy.'