DOE and EPA convened the workshop to provide an opportunity for all data center energy efficiency stakeholders to look at the big picture of how government and industry are advancing toward the goal of improved energy efficiency in data centers. The goal of the workshop was to identify a series of next steps that the government can take to fully leverage and complement industry, utilities, and other stakeholder activities.

Paul Scheihing, DOE, and Andrew Fanara, EPA opened up the workshop by identifying some of the market challenges and opportunities for data centers in regards to energy efficiency efforts, and provided a framework for the day’s discussions.  Christian Belady, Microsoft, Ray Pfeifer, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and Miles Kelly, 365 Main, then presented on best practices being implemented in data centers and projected impacts on total energy consumption within this industry.

Attendees spent the rest of the morning listening to government, utility, and industry representatives present brief 5-minute overviews of key activities and collaboration opportunities. Representation included: DOE, EPA, European Union, Utility IT Energy Efficiency Coalition, CEE, Green Grid, SPEC, SNIA, Uptime Institute, and 7x24 Exchange.

The second portion of the workshop was devoted to small group discussion.  Attendees were given the choice to participate in one of three break-out groups:  (1) Defining energy efficient data centers (e.g., metrics, ratings, standards, best practices); (2)  Advancing energy efficient data centers (e.g., energy management, organizational solutions, information and awareness); and (3) Rewarding energy efficient data centers (e.g., recognition programs, utility incentives, carbon credits).   Each group was tasked with identifying key gaps in knowledge and developing recommendations for areas of coordination between government and industry to address these gaps. 

Recommendations included standardizing metrics and definitions, providing incentives for best practices, and better coordination of energy efficiency activities.  DOE and EPA are in the process of compiling the results of these discussions in a workshop summary, which will be posted over the next few weeks.

Several of the workshop participants stayed a second day to attend the ENERGY STAR server specification stakeholder meeting.  Attendees discussed EPA’s latest proposal for a draft ENERGY STAR server specification, which includes minimum power supply energy efficiency levels.  Based on feedback during the meeting and subsequent industry discussions, EPA is working toward releasing a Draft 2 specification by mid-August for review and comment. 

For more information on EPA’s efforts to specify power supply efficiency, contact Arthur Howard, ICF International, at ahoward@icfi.com.
To view presentations and other workshop materials visit the National Data Center Energy Efficiency Strategy Workshop Web site www.energetics.com/datacenters08.

For more information on DOE and EPA data center initiatives go to the Save Energy Now Web site http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/partnering_data_centers.html and the ENERGY STAR Web site www.energystar.gov/datacenters.

Provided by Rebecca M. Duff, Senior Manager , ICF International

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