Free cooling lures Facebook to Arctic's edge

infoworld.com (Oct 26 2011) Power and Cooling , Carbon Footprint , Servers

1. In a move that will further bolster Facebook's green data center credentials, the social networking giant plans to build an enormous new 120MW data center in Luleå, Sweden, just 62 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The company will make the official announcement Thursday, according to the Telegraph. The allure of the locale is three-fold: First, it's a prime location for taking advantage of free cooling -- that is, using outside air to chill machines instead of running costly CRAC (computer room air conditioner) units 24/7. Second, dams on the Luleå river generate an abundance of renewable electricity -- enough so that half is exported -- so Facebook needn't worry about an energy shortfall any time soon. Third, Sweden has a dense fiber-optic network, which means data can flow reliably and easily through Finland and on into Eastern Europe and Russia. (Read Full Article)

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