EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres

[brettbh]

The EU recently released its Code of Conduct for Data Centres. Given that the world's servers use roughly the same amount of electicity as Mexico (a country with a population of more than 100 million), this is certainly a step in the right direction. Compliance with the Code of Conduct is, however, voluntary.

[Simon]

voluntary.

In other words: pointless

[brettbh]

In other words: pointless

No, not at all. Data centres are starting to hit the limit of their energy, cooling and space capacity and actually need to implement the practices recommended in the Code, hence it is likely to be widely adopted. Companies such as Microsoft, TelecityGroup, IOMart and Quest have already stated that they shall sign-up - in fact, TelecityGroup has already signed-up.

The Code represents not only a blueprint to cutting energy consumption; it also represents a blueprint to cutting costs. UK data centres adopting the Code will save £700 million on their electricity bills over a 6 year period. That's certainly not small spuds. Additionally, the 4.7 million tonnes of CO2 that are currently generated to produce that £700 million worth of electricity will also be saved. Consider too that in 2009 the UK shall be introducing the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) which will require that companies consuming more than 6,000MWh of electricity per year buy carbon credits to offset their emissions. This will provide UK-based data centres with even more of an incentive to become signatories.

Companies benefit; the environment benefits. Win-win :-)

[Simon]

No, not at all. Data centres are starting to hit the limit of their energy, cooling and space capacity and actually need to implement the practices recommended in the Code, hence it is likely to be widely adopted. Companies such as Microsoft, TelecityGroup, IOMart and Quest have already stated that they shall sign-up - in fact, TelecityGroup has already signed-up.

The Code represents not only a blueprint to cutting energy consumption; it also represents a blueprint to cutting costs. UK data centres adopting the Code will save £700 million on their electricity bills over a 6 year period. That's certainly not small spuds. Additionally, the 4.7 million tonnes of CO2 that are currently generated to produce that £700 million worth of electricity will also be saved. Consider too that in 2009 the UK shall be introducing the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) which will require that companies consuming more than 6,000MWh of electricity per year buy carbon credits to offset their emissions. This will provide UK-based data centres with even more of an incentive to become signatories.

Companies benefit; the environment benefits. Win-win :-)

You got any sources about this besides that official EU site? :cute:

[brettbh]

You got any sources about this besides that official EU site?

Yup!

[Simon]

Yup!

Care to share them with me? ;)

[brettbh]

Care to share them with me?

Nope :-)

[Simon]

So as I said before. This "code of conduct" is pointless and it seems you have made it up in your own head. Awesome! :cute:

[brettbh]

Well, the CoC itself is certainly is not imaginary! TelecityGroup's announcement can be read here. What else would you like to know?

[Simon]

Well, the CoC itself is certainly is not imaginary! TelecityGroup's announcement can be read here. What else would you like to know?

See! Now that wasn't so hard, eh? Thanks! :cute:

[brettbh]

Doing it almost killed me ;-)

[mountainhiker]

Doing it almost killed me ;-)

Surprised that data centres had code of conduct.

[brettbh]

BTW, you are not alone in commenting on the CoC’s lack of bite. Example: Why the EU’s ‘green’ data centre code has no teeth.

But the fact is that there is no need for the CoC to be mandatory. Compliance will lead to cost reductions and what better incentive is there than that? Were the CoC to be mandatory, the EU would require an army of highly-skilled (and paid) people with experience in DC energy efficiency modelling, metrics and analysis in order to be able to monitor and enforce compliance. And, really, what would be the point when an incentive already exists?

Surprised that data centres had code of conduct.

Yeah, and I'm sure that many other people would be equally surprised as it's a subject which seems to be pretty much ignored by the press. But a lot is happening. For example, the EPA has launched a number of initiatives, PG&E and other utilities are offering rebates/incentives to enterprises which use virtualization to reduce their installed server base and the Green Grid has established metrics which enable DCs to really get to grips with their energy usage.

[brettbh]

Noteworthy story:

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) presented NetApp with a rebate of $1,427,477 under PG&E's Non-Residential New Construction Program, which encourages PG&E's commercial, industrial, high-technology, and agricultural customers to implement energy-efficient building and process design and construction. NetApp's rebate is the largest new construction incentive PG&E has ever awarded. NetApp received the rebate for the design of its new Sunnyvale engineering data center and the measures it implemented to more efficiently provide power and decrease the energy needed for cooling. Upgrades included environmentally friendly flywheel uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, energy-efficient transformers, outside air economizers, and a variable primary chiller plant.

As a result of NetApp's energy efficiency improvements, its data center is projected to operate at power usage effectiveness (PUE) of less than 1.3, which is considered a best-in-class metric for data center energy efficiency. In addition, PG&E estimates that NetApp will save more than 11,100,000 kilowatt-hours each year, which represents a savings of more than $1,178,000 and a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 3,391 tons annually.

Read more.