Energy Improvements Save EPA $15K
by Trey Granger
Published on November 24th, 2009
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Through a partnership with The Green Grid, the EPA looked to address one of its biggest sources of electricity use: its data center.
The organizations found that minor tweaks to just one facility reduced energy usage by 20 percent, equivalent to $15,000 annually in energy costs. The EPA knows the importance of server efficiency, as it estimates 1.5 percent of electricity in the U.S. powers data centers.
The number of data center facilities are on the rise as business demands increase, using more sophisticated equipment and more energy. Photo: Flickr/clayirving
One of the primary ways it achieved efficiency was to improve airflow, which can be done by simply rearranging cables. The study also focused on the center’s internal conditions, such as temperature, and how this affects the energy use of servers.
The two groups predict that if the 75,000 similar data centers in the U.S. put in place the same policies, it would mean a savings of $1.1 billion in energy costs. The EPA has been campaigning on behalf of greener data centers since 2007.
Last year, Microsoft launched a data center powered by renewable energy including wind and solar panels. In some cases, utility companies will provide incentives to companies that use less energy on IT.
Technology is often seen as an eco-friendly alternative because it reduces the need for paper and ink. But the usage of computers does have an impact, as just one Google search emits an estimated 7 grams of carbon dioxide.
