• About Us
  • Partnership Opportunities
  • Privacy Policy

Data Center Frontier

Charting the future of data centers and cloud computing.

  • Cloud
    • Hyperscale
  • Colo
    • Site Selection
    • Interconnection
  • Energy
    • Sustainability
  • Cooling
  • Technology
    • Internet of Things
    • AI & Machine Learning
    • Edge Computing
    • Virtual Reality
    • Autonomous Cars
    • 5G Wireless
    • Satellites
  • Design
    • Servers
    • Storage
    • Network
  • Voices
  • Podcast
  • White Papers
  • Resources
    • COVID-19
    • Events
    • Newsletter
    • Companies
    • Data Center 101
  • Jobs
You are here: Home / White Paper / Why Renewable Energy Will Power the Green Data Centers of Tomorrow

Why Renewable Energy Will Power the Green Data Centers of Tomorrow

By Bill Kleyman - January 19, 2016 1 Comment

Why Renewable Energy Will Power the Green Data Centers of Tomorrow

In today’s data center industry, going green isn’t only good for the environment, it’s also good for business. Bill Kleyman looks at the rise of renewables. (Photo: IBM)

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

The data center has been experiencing a digital revolution as of late as more organizations move to cloud and new kinds of next-generation technologies. Today, there are more users, more applications, and more requests for data center resources. Trends indicate that with even more digital content and now IoT devices will be creating even more data. All of this places resource challenges around the data center facility. Especially for those organization looking to have a green data center.

Consider this, the latest AFCOM State of the Data Center survey showed that 70% of respondents indicated that power density (per rack) has increased over the past 3 years. 26% indicated that this increase was significant. This has forced managers to look at new and creative ways to power their data centers. For example, 34% have either deployed or are planning (within 18 months) to deploy a renewable energy source for their data center. Of those respondents using renewable energy, we saw the following used systems:

  • Solar: 70%
  • Natural Gas: 50%
  • Wind: 50%
  • Water: 27%
  • Geo-Thermal: 10%
Green data center

Get this white paper from the Data Center Frontier White Paper Library

Here’s the final big factor to think about – According to IDC, there are more than 8 million data centers worldwide, and global demand for data centers continues to increase. IDC projects that data center space will grow from 1.6 billion square feet in 2013 to more than 1.9 billion square feet in 2018. In this whitepaper from Digital Realty, we learn how leading data center operators are finding that clean power is becoming price-competitive with utility-sourced power in many markets.

Before we go on, it’s important to understand a bit more around “clean” energy.

  • In broad terms, “clean” or “green” energy comes from renewable sources such as the sun (solar), wind, the movement of water in rivers and oceans (hydroelectricity), biofuels (fuel derived from organic matter), and geothermal activity.

The “brown” alternative is energy derived from finite fossil fuels, especially those that contribute most heavily to carbon emissions, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Nuclear power is classified as a non-renewable source of energy, due in part to environmental concerns about disposal of radioactive waste.

Today, there are big trends showing that tech giants are moving towards renewable energy sources in their green data centers. Digital Realty, along with certain major technology companies and other pioneers, are showing that clean energy can be used to power even the largest and most high-performance data centers. And as more organizations consider moving from traditional to cleaner sources of power, they are also showing that renewable energy can be cost-effective.

For instance, 100 percent of the power used at Apple’s data centers is now derived from renewable sources. Other sustainability leaders in technology – including Amazon Web Services, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft – are moving toward a 100 percent renewable energy supply. Several of these companies are also building on-site renewable projects – or signing long-term purchase agreements – to supply renewable energy to power their global operations.

When it comes to sourcing – there are a few ways to ensure you get the clean energy you require. Considerations include:

  • Purchasing green power from the local electric utility
  • Purchasing renewable energy certificates
  • Purchasing clean energy directly from a renewable energy project developer
  • Constructing and operating on-site renewable energy equipment

Download this whitepaper today to learn more about renewable energy, clean technologies being offered by providers, and where organizations can source clean energy to power the next-generation green data center.

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

Tagged With: Digital Realty, Green Data Centers

Newsletters

Stay informed: Get our weekly updates!

Are you a new reader? Follow Data Center Frontier on Twitter or Facebook.
bill@kleyman.org'

About Bill Kleyman

Bill Kleyman is a veteran, enthusiastic technologist with experience in data center design, management and deployment. Currently, Bill works as the Executive Vice President of Digital Solutions at Switch.

Comments

  1. dreedsinbox@gmail.com'Drew Reed says

    January 26, 2016 at 8:35 am

    I like how you said that solar energy makes up about 70% of the use of natural gas. I’m really glad that solar makes up so much of the renewable power we use. One thing I wonder, though, is what percentage of total energy that we use is renewable like that? I’m going to have to check some numbers there. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Voices of the Industry

Fit for the Edge: Modular Data Centers

Fit for the Edge: Modular Data Centers Jackie Pasierbowicz, Director of Sales and Marketing at TAS explores the dramatic rise of multiple markets for edge computing and the benefits of a modular data center strategy.

DCF Spotlight

The COVID-19 Crisis and the Data Center Industry

The COVID-19 pandemic presents strategic challenges for the data center and cloud computing sectors. Data Center Frontier provides a one-stop resource for the latest news and analysis for decision-makers navigating this complex new landscape.

An aerial view of major facilities in Data Center Alley in Ashburn, Virginia. (Image: Loudoun County)

Northern Virginia Data Center Market: The Focal Point for Cloud Growth

The Northern Virginia data center market is seeing a surge in supply and an even bigger surge in demand. Data Center Frontier explores trends, stats and future expectations for the No. 1 data center market in the country.

See More Spotlight Features

White Papers

data center water

Solutions to Data Center Water and Power Availability

The major challenges facing the data center industry today are finite water and power resources. This is especially true for large scale operations and particularly the ongoing trend toward hyperscale facilities. Get the new report that explores a new data center cooling method called the StatePoint Liquid Cooling (SPLC)4 system from Nortek Solutions. This report explores a usage case study in Singapore. 

Get this PDF emailed to you.

We always respect your privacy and we never sell or rent our list to third parties. By downloading this White Paper you are agreeing to our terms of service. You can opt out at any time.

Newsletters

Get the Latest News from Data Center Frontier

Job Listings

RSS Job Openings | Peter Kazella and Associates, Inc

  • Navy Electrician / Navy Mechanic - Redmond, WA
  • Electrical Commissioning Engineer - Ashburn, VA
  • MEP Superintendent - Data Center - Dallas, TX
  • Construction Project Manager - Data Center - Dallas, TX
  • Data Center QA / QC Manager - Huntsville, AL

See More Jobs

Data Center 101

Data Center 101: Mastering the Basics of the Data Center Industry

Data Center 101: Mastering the Basics of the Data Center Industry

Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Open Spectrum, brings our readers a series that provides an introductory guidebook to the ins and outs of the data center and colocation industry. Think power systems, cooling, solutions, data center contracts and more. The Data Center 101 Special Report series is directed to those new to the industry, or those of our readers who need to brush up on the basics.

  • Data Center Power
  • Data Center Cooling
  • Strategies for Data Center Location
  • Data Center Pricing Negotiating
  • Cloud Computing

See More Data center 101 Topics

About Us

Charting the future of data centers and cloud computing. We write about what’s next for the Internet, and the innovations that will take us there. We tell the story of the digital economy through the data center facilities that power cloud computing and the people who build them. Read more ...
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

About Our Founder

Data Center Frontier is edited by Rich Miller, the data center industry’s most experienced journalist. For more than 20 years, Rich has profiled the key role played by data centers in the Internet revolution. Meet the DCF team.

TOPICS

  • 5G Wireless
  • Cloud
  • Colo
  • Connected Cars
  • Cooling
  • Cornerstone
  • Coronavirus
  • Design
  • Edge Computing
  • Energy
  • Executive Roundtable
  • Featured
  • Finance
  • Hyperscale
  • Interconnection
  • Internet of Things
  • Machine Learning
  • Network
  • Podcast
  • Servers
  • Site Selection
  • Social Business
  • Special Reports
  • Storage
  • Sustainability
  • Videos
  • Virtual Reality
  • Voices of the Industry
  • White Paper

Copyright Data Center Frontier LLC © 2021