Why are more IT leaders prioritizing green data centers? Studies show that 82% of IT decision makers are dissatisfied with their current data center’s ability to meet the power, cooling, and space requirements needed to support their IT services.
Green data centers can help relieve these issues by utilizing renewable energy sources, eliminating waste from power consumption, and minimizing the size of their physical space.
With many industries facing climate change and environmental concerns, the popularity of green data centers continues to grow. It’s no surprise that more and more IT leaders are prioritizing green data center solutions.
Green data center has made a meaningful impact on the existing traditional business models by shifting the value chain from a whole life cycle perspective.
Global IT Leaders Prioritizing Green Data Center
The world is changing, and data centers are no exception. New technologies, trends and priorities have led to a new era in data center efficiency.
As the digital economy continues to grow, so does demand for more computing power. This has created an unprecedented need for more energy-efficient IT infrastructure.
According to research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global data center market is expected to reach $35 billion by 2022, a 21% increase from 2016.
The green data center is an important part of any business strategy because it can help reduce costs, improve resilience and reduce environmental impact. As more companies transition to a greener business model, they will need to make changes to their IT infrastructure as well.
Sustainability is a core part of our business at Insight, so we’ve been tracking the rise of this trend for some time. Here are some reasons why more IT leaders are prioritizing green data centers:
Lowers energy costs
Reducing power consumption can lower energy costs. Over the years, companies have tried to reduce the amount of power their data centers use, but there’s always more that can be done.
By using renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, you can help lower your organization’s carbon footprint.
The average electricity bill for a data center is $1,500 per kW per month, according to the Uptime Institute. That’s a big number, and it’s only going up as the use of cloud computing grows.
Green data centers can help lower your energy bills by up to 50 percent annually.
In addition to reducing costs, IT leaders are increasingly interested in lowering their carbon footprint. But that’s not all that’s driving the trend toward green data centers. Here are three other reasons why more IT organizations are prioritizing sustainability:
- IT leaders want to reduce their carbon footprint
- They want to be good corporate citizens
- They want to attract and retain top talent
Leaves a smaller carbon footprint on the environment
Data centers are responsible for about 2% of global CO2 emissions and 5% of electricity consumption.
The majority of that power comes from coal-fired power plants, which release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
A green data center reduces the carbon footprint on the environment, which is often referred to as “carbon neutral”.
The green data center uses technologies that reduce energy consumption and water usage, as well as reduce carbon emissions. These technologies include:
- Waterless cooling systems
- Modular designs
- Using clean energy
- On-site renewable energy if possible
A green data center can reduce its carbon footprint by up to 80%. It also reduces the amount of waste produced by recycling old servers and other equipment. This can be achieved by using clean energy sources like gas, geothermal, hydrogen, etc.
Many large corporations are adopting green technologies in order to improve their environmental footprint and save money at the same time. For example, Apple has built its own solar farm in North Carolina that generates enough energy to power all of its stores in North America.
Provides a competitive advantage
A green data center provides a competitive advantage for businesses by reducing operating costs and improving efficiency. It also helps companies meet their sustainability goals and improve their brand image and reputation.
Many companies have found that lower operating costs translate into increased performance — both in terms of speed and efficiency — when they move their infrastructure into green facilities.
Many customers prefer doing business with companies that take a proactive approach toward sustainability and environmental stewardship. Green data centers provide companies with an opportunity to market themselves as environmentally responsible organizations that care about their customers’ needs and concerns.
Employees who work in uncomfortable environments are less productive and more likely to suffer from fatigue and illness. A green data center can help create a comfortable workspace where employees can focus on their work without distraction.
Green Data Center Design as The First Priority
The most important part of a green data center is its design. A well-designed and properly maintained data center will use less energy than a poorly designed or improperly maintained one.
The first step in designing a green data center is to understand the environmental impact of your current facility. What type of power does it use? What kind of cooling does it employ? How much water is used in the air conditioning system? How much waste heat is available for other uses?
The first step is to determine if your current building is already up to code with regard to energy efficiency. If not, make sure you’re making the necessary changes before moving forward with any major upgrades.
While there’s no “one size fits all” approach to designing a green data center, there are some basic guidelines that should be followed when planning your new facility or upgrading an existing one.
Reduce cooling costs by using outside air for cooling instead of an expensive refrigerant-based system. The facility can be kept cool in warm weather by pulling cool air into it through vents in the walls and windows; the facility can be kept warm in cold weather by pushing heat from inside the building out through vents in these same places.
Next, it’s important to note that there are numerous certifications out there for green buildings — LEED certification, for example — but these aren’t always geared toward data centers specifically. For this reason, it may be best to look into third-party certification programs specifically designed for the IT industry such as the Uptime Institute’s Tier3 program or The Green Grid’s eGrid standard.
Power Distribution Units (PDUs)
One way that you can reduce your carbon footprint is by using power distribution units (PDUs). These devices help control how much energy each device uses within your facility, allowing you to manage electrical loads more effectively. They also reduce the amount of wasted energy in your facility by providing visibility into how much power each device is using at any given time.
A typical power distribution unit distributes power at a constant voltage and frequency, regardless of whether or not there are any devices plugged into it at any given moment.
A green PDU will distribute power according to what equipment needs it most at any given time, thereby reducing overall power consumption in your facility. By using power management, this helps save money because less power is wasted through overconsumption by unused devices like servers or routers that don’t need as much.
PDUs have a very important role in green data centers. With optimal distribution, a data center facility can save energy while reducing carbon emissions.
Therefore, we view the importance of PDU starting from the design of the data center that we will build in South Jakarta.
Conclusion
Green data centers are typically more expensive than their traditional counterparts but offer a number of benefits to businesses, such as reduced electricity bills and peace of mind.
According to a recent survey conducted by IT industry publication CRN, the majority of IT leaders say they are prioritizing green data centers. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they have made green features a priority, compared to 21 percent who said they have not.
The survey of 300 IT leaders in North America, conducted by the Green Grid, found that 70 percent of respondents are concerned about the impact their data centers have on the environment.
The Green Grid is dedicated to helping organizations improve their environmental performance through green IT initiatives. The group’s mission is to “promote environmentally responsible computing.”
Executives must recognize that embracing green is an essential operational move, rather than a public relations tactic. Although many businesses have made sustainability a key part of their mission statements and brand promises, they are still falling short. CIOs need to take concrete steps to ensure green data center initiatives are not just empty promises.
The future of data center innovation and green design is bright. The push for sustainability will strengthen the demand for more efficient, reliable, and impactful IT infrastructures as technology rapidly evolves.
The leaders and designers behind these data centers are some of the smartest and most forward thinking people in technology. They are not only leading the way, but constantly looking towards the future.