Enhancing Data Center Energy

Efficiency: A Holistic Approach

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Table of Content

Abstract

Cooling Systems Optimization

Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) Enhancement

Virtualization and Consolidation

Renewable Energy Integration

Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Energy-Efficient Design and Construction

Advanced Cooling Technologies

Learn more about how to make your

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Abstract

Data centers are critical to the modern digital infrastructure, hosting a vast array of
services and applications. However, they are also significant consumers of energy.
Despite efficiency improvements, the rapid growth in workloads handled by large
data centers has resulted in a substantial increase in energy use in this segment,
growing by 20-40% annually. Enhancing the energy efficiency of data centers is
essential to reduce operational costs and environmental impact. This document
explores various methodologies and technologies to improve data center energy
efficiency, focusing on cooling systems, power management, virtualization,
renewable energy integration, and infrastructure management.

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 1. Cooling Systems Optimization

Cooling systems are one of the largest consumers of energy in data centers. Cooling
accounts for nearly 40% of the total energy consumed by data centers.
Efficient cooling is crucial for maintaining optimal operating conditions for IT
equipment.

1.1 Hot and Cold Aisle Containment Hot and cold aisle containment involves
physically separating the hot and cold air streams in the data center. This prevents
hot air from mixing with cold air, improving cooling efficiency.

1.2 Liquid Cooling Liquid cooling solutions, such as direct-to-chip and immersion cooling,
offer significant improvements in heat dissipation compared to traditional air cooling
methods. Even a partial, 75% transition from air to liquid cooling reduces facility power
use by 27%.

1.3 Free Cooling Free cooling leverages the external environment to cool the data center.
By using ambient air or water from natural sources, the reliance on mechanical cooling
systems is reduced.

I Image courtesy of Marcelo del Valle, Villanova University

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2. Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) Enhancement

PUE is a key metric for evaluating data center energy efficiency. Lowering the PUE ratio
involves optimizing both IT and facility energy consumption. Modern data centers are
optimized for cooling and IT power delivery can achieve PUE close to 1.0

2.1 Efficient IT Equipment Deploying energy-efficient servers, storage, and networking

equipment can significantly reduce power consumption. Newer models are often
designed with energy efficiency in mind, offering better performance per watt.

2.2 Power Management Technologies Implementing advanced power management

technologies, such as Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) and power capping,
helps in managing the energy consumption of IT equipment based on current workloads.

2.3 Efficient UPS Systems Upgrading to high-efficiency Uninterruptible Power Supply

(UPS) systems can reduce energy losses. Modern UPS systems operate efficiently even at
partial loads, which is typical in many data centers.

How to calculate PUE and DCiE

The power usage effectiveness calculation is:
Total amount of Energy used / IT equipment energy usage = PUE data centre ratio.
For example, a data centre using 50,000 kWh of energy, with 40,000 kWh used on IT
equipment, would have a PUE of 1.25.

DCiE reverses the formula:

IT equipment energy / total facility usage = DCiE.
In the previous example, the data center would have a DCiE of 80 per cent.

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3. Virtualization and Consolidation

3.1 Server Consolidation By consolidating workloads onto fewer physical servers,

data centers can reduce the number of active machines, thereby saving energy on
both computing and cooling.

3.2 Dynamic Resource Allocation Virtualization platforms can dynamically allocate

resources based on demand, optimizing energy usage by scaling resources up or down as
needed.

Image courtesy VMWare

When you look at a group of a hundred physical servers from a typical company, you will
most often see a very inefficient use of those resources.

~20% of the servers will be so busy they are badly under resourced.
~25% will be appropriately resourced and running within normal parameters.
~40% will be significantly over provisioned with many more resources than are needed to
process their workloads.
~15% will have no measurable load at all and are basically doing nothing but taking up
rack space, power, and generating heat.

These numbers skew towards servers being over provisioned. That’s because with physical
servers it’s always safer to buy more than you need in terms of hardware resources and
therefore the server has plenty of CPU, RAM, HD performance, and HD capacity. However,
if you mistakenly give a server too little in any of those areas you’re going to have
problems and often have to rebuild (and rebuy) the server to run that workload on.

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4. Renewable Energy Integration

Data centers have come under scrutiny for their significant power consumption and
resulting carbon emissions. Many companies have set ambitious targets to reduce their
environmental footprint, including reaching net-zero emissions. Incorporating renewable
energy sources can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of data centers.

4.1 On-Site Renewable Energy Installing solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric,
geothermal generators, or SMR nuclear reactors locally allows data centers to source
renewable energy on-site. This can provide a direct source of renewable energy, reducing
dependency on the grid.

4.2 Green Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) Engaging in PPAs allows data centers to
procure renewable energy from off-site sources, ensuring a consistent supply of clean
energy. Data centers can enter into long-term agreements with renewable energy
developers to purchase electricity generated from renewable sources, often at competitive
prices, while supporting the growth of renewable energy infrastructure.

4.3 Microgrids and Energy Storage: Implementing microgrid systems and energy
storage solutions enhances the resilience and reliability of data center operations. By
combining renewable energy generation with energy storage technologies such as
batteries or flywheels, data centers can store excess energy for use during peak demand
periods or grid outages.

4.4 Renewable Energy Credits (RECs): Purchasing RECs allows data centers to financially
support renewable energy projects and offset their carbon emissions. RECs represent the
environmental attributes of renewable energy generation and can be purchased
separately from electricity consumption, enabling data centers to claim carbon neutrality
and support renewable energy development.

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5. Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

DCIM tools offer comprehensive monitoring and management of data center resources,
facilitating better energy efficiency. DCIM provides information to allow you to
appropriately size the infrastructure and reduce energy costs by as much as 30 percent.

5.1 Real-Time Monitoring Real-time monitoring of power usage, temperature, and

humidity levels helps identify inefficiencies and allows for prompt corrective actions.

5.2 Predictive Analytics Using predictive analytics, data centers can forecast demand and
optimize capacity planning, avoiding over-provisioning and under utilization of resources.

6. Energy-Efficient Design and Construction

Energy-efficient design principles should be integrated into the construction of new data
centers and the retrofitting of existing ones.

6.1 Energy Star Certified Equipment Choosing Energy Star certified IT and cooling
equipment ensures high efficiency and performance standards.

6.2 Sustainable Building Materials Sustainable building materials and designs that
improve insulation and reduce energy consumption contributes to overall energy
efficiency.

7. Airflow Management

Airflow management involves maintaining the optimal air temperature within a data
center to ensure the proper functioning of the equipment. This process requires removing
hot air from the environment where heat is generated and adding cool air through an
effective air conditioning system.

7.1 Raised Floor Systems Raised floors facilitate better airflow distribution, ensuring that
cool air reaches all parts of the data center.

7.2 Blanking Panels Installing blanking panels in server racks prevents hot air
recirculation, directing cool air through the equipment for more efficient cooling.

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8. Advanced Cooling Technologies

Innovative cooling technologies can further enhance energy efficiency in data centers.

Liquid Cooling Systems:

• Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling: Delivers coolant directly to the heat-generating

components, such as CPUs and GPUs, ensuring efficient heat removal.
• Immersion Cooling: Submerges servers in a dielectric liquid, which effectively absorbs
and dissipates heat more efficiently than traditional air cooling.

Evaporative Cooling:
• Uses the process of water evaporation to cool the air, offering a more energy-efficient
alternative to conventional air conditioning, particularly in low-humidity environments.

Free Cooling:
• Leverages outside air temperature to cool the data center, minimizing the need for
mechanical refrigeration.
This includes:
o Air-Side Economizers: Bring in cool external air to reduce the cooling load.
o Water-Side Economizers: Use cool external water sources to lower the
temperature of the cooling medium.

Adiabatic Cooling:
• Enhances the efficiency of evaporative cooling by pre-cooling incoming air, which
reduces the overall energy consumption and water usage.

Chilled Beam Cooling:

• Utilizes ceiling-mounted units that cool the air through convection. Warm air rises, is
cooled by the chilled beams, and then descends, creating a continuous cycle without
the need for additional fans.

Rear Door Heat Exchangers:

• Mounted on the back of server racks, these units directly absorb and dissipate heat
from the servers, reducing the need for room-wide cooling systems.

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Phase Change Materials (PCMs):
• Use materials that absorb and release thermal energy during phase changes (e.g.,
from solid to liquid). PCMs can store excess heat and release it when temperatures
drop, providing passive cooling.

Geothermal Cooling:
• Exploits stable underground temperatures to provide consistent cooling. Coolant is
circulated through subterranean pipes, absorbing the earth’s natural coolness before
being cycled back to the data center.

· Thermal Storage Systems:

• Store cooling energy as ice or chilled water during off-peak hours. This stored energy
can be used during peak demand to cool the data center, reducing reliance on
mechanical cooling systems.

· Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning:

• Implement AI and ML to optimize cooling strategies in real-time. These technologies
analyze data from various sensors and adjust cooling parameters dynamically to
maximize efficiency.

Adopting these advanced cooling technologies can greatly enhance data center
energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and minimize environmental impact.

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 Data center growth embodies the relentless march of
technology, expanding the horizons of possibility and redefining
the way we connect, create, and collaborate in the digital age

On a journey towards a resilient and

fortified digital ecosystem.

Shahrukh Ashhar

References
• Uptime Institute: Data Center Cooling Best Practices
• ASHRAE: Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments
• Green Grid: PUE: A Comprehensive Examination of the Metric
• ENERGY STAR: Data Center Energy Efficiency Resources

Disclaimer: This document has been prepared by Shahrukh Ashhar as an individual and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not represent the views or opinions of any organization or
entity. Readers are advised to seek professional advice and conduct their own research before making any decisions based on the content of this document. The document is provided ‘as is’ without
any warranties, express or implied.

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