Green Cloud Computing: Data Center Case Study

Energy Efficiency

Public concern about environmental sustainability and corporate stewardship has grown steadily in recent years. In particular, the impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on climate change and the role of fossil fuel electricity generation as the largest source of GHG emissions in the U.S. have attracted substantial attention. Emissions associated with electricity consumption are often a significant barrier to improving the environmental profile of many organizations because the average amount of CO₂ emitted per unit of electricity consumed is very high.

IT and telecom firms, many known for their progressive, game-changing strategies, have led the charge in reducing energy use and associated emissions. Several of these companies have focused their efforts on data centers, which contribute significantly to the companies' total environmental footprints. Data centers are facilities that house equipment to store, manage, and distribute digital information. They already make up about 1.5% of national electricity use in the U.S. and account for an annual GHG impact of at least 76 million metric tons of CO₂. The energy and GHG impacts of data centers are expected to more than double by 2020.

An increasing number of commercial, government, and non-profit organizations are cutting their energy use and associated carbon footprints by improving the energy efficiency of their data centers. Organizations that reduce their carbon emissions by improving efficiency, rather than by purchasing RECs or carbon offsets, are often perceived as taking more direct responsibility for their environmental impact. Google and Yahoo!, two leaders in green IT, have both shifted to this efficiency-focused approach, prompting many other organizations to also invest in energy efficiency solutions for their data center operations.

Data center electricity consumption represents about 1.5% of total U.S. electricity load, and this share is growing quickly. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that U.S. data center energy consumption doubled between 2000 and 2006, and it projects that consumption has since doubled again,” Emissions will rise in step with consumption, and one estimate projects that global data center emissions will quadruple from 2007 levels by 2020. Energy-intensive data centers can be a substantial barrier to achieving green operations at many companies. Implementing data center efficiency solutions can protect and sometimes enhance an organization's image. However, improving data center efficiency is now more commonly perceived as a “must-do” rather than as an admirable goal. Greenpeace recently voiced this view in its criticism of Facebook's new ultra-efficient data center in Oregon. The environmental organization wrote a letter to Facebook saying, “Efficiency is certainly important, but is only the beginning of taking responsibility for your rapidly growing energy and environmental footprint.”