Characteristics of low-carbon data centres

“IT efficiency (which includes higher utilization and performance improvements as well as purchasing efficient hardware) is the important issue on which to focus.”

~Jonathan G. Koomey, Ph.D.

Jonathan G. Koomey, Ph.D., published a new report - Characteristics of low-carbon data centres from nature climate change. The IT equipment inside, the servers, the storage, and the communications need to be efficient (and used efficiently).

Data center operators can take certain actions to make data centers greener (from deciding where to build data centers, to changing the architecture of the buildings, to using new methods of cooling).

Here are some initial steps:

• Make the IT equipment (servers, storage, and communications) as efficient.
• Make the infrastructure equipment (fans, cooling, pumps, power distribution) as efficient.
• Make the electricity production that feeds the data center as low carbon.

Our article in Nature Climate Change just came out: Characteristics of Low Carbon Data Centres from Jonathan G. Koomey, Ph.D.