Too Much Heat and Not Enough "Grid" PowerToo Much Heat and Not Enough "Grid" Power

A study from the Uptime Institute reveals that most data centers would max out electrical capacity and cooling capabilities during the next 12-60 months. According to the Uptime Institute, 1U server space costs $1,600 per year in facilities costs, and $700 of that cost is just for electricity.

A study from the Uptime Institute reveals that most data centers would max out electrical capacity and cooling capabilities during the next 12-60 months. According to the Uptime Institute, 1U server space costs $1,600 per year in facilities costs, and $700 of that cost is just for electricity.Another factor influencing costs is the rising costs of energy, and at least here in Maryland, energy costs are on track to double in five years. This means that energy is a moving target, but with predictability. While costs are going to increase, what is not known is: are there plans in place or in motion to conserve; will companies react from influences of higher energy costs/less grid availability; or are the rising costs and expected rise in demands placed on IT something that will just work themselves out?

Statistically, it costs more anytime a company is engaged in the reactive mode. I'd agree that sometimes waiting or exercising patience tends to allow some issues to just work themselves out without intervention. When it comes to remaining on line, up and running or open for business, I don't know too many planners that are willing to ignore any issue that could jeopardize their organizations' uptime.

During the past year I've written about methods, ideas and solutions that my company has adopted that incorporate energy saving methods ranging from light bulbs, capacitor banks to building your own PV (photovoltaic) plant like Google. One reader commented, "We connected switches that are not needed 24 hrs a day via power strips that have a timer on them. The timer powers down and wakes up the switches at the proper time. This has cut our power bill by 5%."

Then, hearing from my buddy Eric--it seems that the energy-environment discussion is "political" and depending upon who you speak with -that the lines of thought are either we will wait and see, things will work themselves out or yes, there is a problem and we are either doing or planning to put in place measures to conserve and improve efficiency. Yet another school of thought seems to say that, "no matter what, we won't run out of oil and won't stop driving Hummers or SUVs, let alone make any change in business or lifestyle to reduce energy consumption or to lower carbon footprints."

I've said before that not too long from now, you too may soon be considering building your own alternative energy power plant. Costco started placing their PV panels on warehouse roofs in 2006, and today, more than a dozen warehouses in California and Hawaii now have solar PV systems, with Costco reporting a 20% reduction of electrical requirements in these stores. Costco used 1.9 billion KWH (kilowatt hours) in 2007 and they didn't stop with solar PV. If statistics and predictions about the future cost of energy are anywhere close to being right, then it seems that in five years or less, any investment in IT gear is going to be an expensive undertaking. Not only is the cost to operate going up, but so is the potential to be less green as a company which can be damaging especially when just anything you add to the infrastructure creates more heat, demands more cooling, and then requires more electricity. Costco didn't stop their greening efforts after implementing efficiency improvements, and elected to generate some of their own power. So are you ready to take on building your own power plant? Efficiency goes so far and at some point along the way, either you give up something, change the pattern of consumption or begin to think about being your own power company.