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It's Not Easy Being Green

Are "green computing" initiatives on your list of New Year's resolutions? If so, do you think you'll stick with those energy-efficiency efforts longer than your new diet?

With rising energy prices and power-hungry servers multiplying, are you doing anything to help rein in electricity use in your company's data centers?

A new report released this week by Stanford University researcher Jonathan Koomey says worldwide energy consumption for servers, cooling equipment and related infrastructure gear, doubled from 2000 to 2005, and could nearly double again by 2010—unless companies make a concerted effort for change.

The U.S. gobbled 40% of that energy to power its computers, according to the research. Worldwide in 2005, the electricity used to power servers was equivalent to 14 nuclear power or coal-burning plants. By 2010, that number could grow to 24 plants, if wasteful computing practices aren't addressed soon, he says.

So, what can you do to help cut back on energy use for the computers in your company? Technologies like virtualization software and server consolidation can help. But so can addressing more seemingly mundane sorts of things, like better managing data center cooling, and keeping a closer eye on electricity bills, which is something many CIOs often never see.

Also, spending a few extra bucks up front for pricier but more energy-resourceful power-supply equipment can also reduce electricity use—and costs—on the back end.

If companies worldwide implemented at least some of these changes, the growth in server-related energy-use by 2010 could be reduced by 20%, says Koomey.

If you're aiming to lose 20 pounds in 2008 to look and feel better, do you think you'd also able to shave 20% off your data center's electricity consumption by 2010 to save your company some "green"--as well as be "greener?"

If not, maybe five pounds and 5% are more doable. That's certainly better than nothing.

What are you planning to do?

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