Green data centers are critical to the long-term success of a company. One of the most important considerations is data center power source options. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, can help reduce the carbon footprint of a data center.
Although ideally using renewable energy, for 100% renewable energy, it takes at least ten years to build a power plant with a capacity of hundreds of megawatts. This article will discuss the selection of energy sources for a green data center and how the strategy is to comply with the net-zero pact.
Understanding Data Center Power Source Options
When considering a data center’s power source options, it’s important to consider whether this option will financially benefit you over the long term. It’s also important to think about how easy it is to utilize this option and how easy it is to maintain and repair when problems with your data center arise.
There are different criteria for evaluating a data center’s power source: energy efficiency, carbon footprint, and renewable resources.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is directly related to how much electricity is drawn from the grid to perform a function. Data Centers are currently using too much electricity with poor energy efficiency. Even attempting to reduce their carbon footprint using renewable energy sources is not enough if they continue to draw too much power from the grid.
Green data centers often use free cooling systems, which operate outside the air to cool the servers and other equipment. This can significantly reduce energy usage because it eliminates the need to use chillers or other power-hungry cooling methods.
Green data centers also use monitoring software to measure and analyze their energy usage in real-time so they can make adjustments or implement improvements when appropriate.
Carbon Footprint and Renewable Resources
The most popular renewable resources include solar and wind, both of which have advantages and disadvantages. Solar power is abundant, but the amount of power it can provide fluctuates throughout the day. Wind energy is also plentiful but cannot be stored and therefore is unavailable when it is most needed. This makes solar and wind power unreliable as a primary source for powering data centers.
Another option for powering data centers with renewable resources is biomass, or burning organic matter to produce electricity. Biomass has been used for this purpose for decades and is found in many developing countries that lack access to other forms of power generation.
Renewable resources are abundant and sustainable compared to fossil fuels, which makes them ideal candidates for powering data centers that require large amounts of energy and are located in areas where renewables are readily available.
Hydropower as alternative energy for data center
Hydropower is the term used to describe energy generated by water movement in rivers, streams, and oceans. The energy is harnessed by a water wheel or turbine housed in the base of a dam or a diversion channel. The movement of water turns the wheel or turbine, which, in turn, creates electricity. Hydropower accounts for about 16% of global electricity generation and can be used to power all types of electric machines and generators.
While hydropower is a cleaner and renewable energy source, it still has some drawbacks.
- First, since most hydroelectric dams are located in areas with a large population, they may need to be closer to your data center to provide power.
- Second, the electricity generated by this type of dam can fluctuate significantly with other factors such as precipitation and water levels.
However, some issues should be addressed using hydroelectric dams for power generation in a data center. Hydroelectric dams are not always considered renewable energy sources, as hydropower depends on the flow of water and is, therefore, subject to seasonal changes.
In addition, it is pretty standard for these dams to flood land that used to be native animal habitats, leading to an outcry from environmental activists who believe that building these dams destroys the natural balance. However, hydroelectric power plants are still an excellent renewable energy source, and they are becoming more popular in data centers worldwide.
Minimizing environmental impact and maximizing efficiency
Minimizing environmental impact and maximizing data center efficiency is a top priority for the IT industry. Over the past years, to achieve these goals, green data centers have been developed.
Green data centers look for ways to minimize environmental impact by using less energy, water, and other natural resources. This reduces the number of pollutants emitted into the environment, which is good for the planet and business.
While green data centers have many options for reducing the energy they use, choosing the right power source can be trickier. The electricity powering your data center is essential because, just like any other part of your facility, it will contribute a large portion of the total energy you use.
The main ways to reduce the energy used by your data center are to optimize its hardware and software, improve airflow in and around it, and redesign older mechanical systems (such as heating and cooling). However, if you’re trying to choose between different power sources for your facility, one of the most important things you can do is look at how much energy each option will require. Any of them can be used to power a green data center; it’s just that some are better than others for that purpose.
Conclusion
A data center is an essential part of a company’s operation but negatively impacts the environment. Server farms are growing at a rate that must be addressed, and there are ways to make them greener. Data centers can be powered by renewable energy sources, like solar panels and wind turbines. These renewable power sources can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced in producing electricity.
Another way to reduce carbon dioxide output is to use fewer machines. Servers can be clustered together, so they share resources. This reduces the number of servers that need to be used in the data center and reduces power consumption. By implementing these green data center solutions, companies can better support the environment, save money, and improve their image with customers.