boom times for green data center hardware? by Doug Mohney

Views and Opinions on Green IT (Jun 2 2011) Nuclear

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   The next decade -- and I really hate long time scales -- is looking to be a boom time for green data center hardware, as Germany and Switzerland take the non-nuclear vow and Japan looks to move more aggressively into renewable energy.   Combine that with organic and expanding growth in Asia and Africa to see green (energy efficient) turn into green (profits).

   I've already covered how I believe how net zero energy usage should become the new gold standard for data centers, and if you can't get there, data center operators should at least try to move to using less energy by generating power on-site, lessening dependence on the grid.  In my mind, these are pragmatic moves if you are serious about cutting back on carbon generation and ultimately saving money by consuming less (off-site) power. 

   In the emerging and growing markets of Asia and Africa, having green (i.e. power efficient) equipment is a necessity, not a luxury.  Power is more expensive and in Africa, infrastructure is challenging when one moves out of the cities, so a lower energy consumption footprint is vital for data center gear.

   And now it has become vital for the developed world. National policy moves by Japan, Germany, and Switzerland to reduce (Japan) and shut down (Germany, Switzerland) nuclear power are going to force the issue of more efficient data centers and more green data center equipment.   

   Countries moving off of nuclear are most likely end up producing less total electricity when the smoke clears.   Germany's government said the country plans to cut power usage by 10 percent by 2020. All predictions seem to indicate that there will not be a one-to-one (or watt-to-watt) replacement of nuclear power with renewable power.  Coal, oil, and natural gas are all alternatives to make up the gap, but policymakers do not want to renew a dependency upon those supplies for green and strategic reasons.   Something about not wanting to be dependent upon imported power, especially in the case of natural gas from the East.

   The net-net is either businesses will end up paying more for renewable power at the end of the day and/or have to start squeezing watts out of everything as a business necessity, not a bottom-line luxury to add profits to the bottom line.

   Equipment manufacturers of power-efficient equipment should be celebrating.  At least three high-tech economies are going to make some drastic changes in their purchasing habits, weighing energy consumption as a top-line factor in their decisions.   Green data centers in those countries are looking pretty wise right about now.

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