Environmental Leader

CityNAP became the first “green” data center in Texas by signing a new contract with CPS Energy to purchase all of its power from renewable wind-generated electric sources, the San Antonio Business Journal reports.

CityNAP is an Internet hub and data center that serves as a point of convergence for multiple fiber-optic networks. Through it, companies like AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Cable Inc. can access multiple communication networks.

“A center like ours uses a lot of energy, so we’re doing everything we can to lessen our impact on the environment by using the most energy-efficient equipment and buying renewable energy,” CityNAP President Frank Robles says.

A recent report from AMD found that U.S. data centers and their associated infrastructure consumed five million kW of energy in 2005, the equivalent of five 1,000 MW power plants.

Data Ceneter Energy Use Background: 

Government involvement in computer efficiency is increasing. Earlier this year, in a letter to computing-industry representatives, the EPA said it “is initiating its process to develop an Energy Star specification for enterprise computer servers. President Bush signed a bill that urges Americans to buy energy-efficient servers, and the Department of Energy has begun trying to get involved in helping companies become more energy-efficient. Technology companies including Google, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, Sun Microsystems and Hewlett-Packard met with DOE officials last month to discuss fears that volatile and expensive energy could hinder the tech sector.

Computer companies have also been rolling out new energy-efficient products recently. Dell has unveiled two PowerEdgeservers that the company says underscores its commitment to environmental responsibility and its goal to design the most energy-efficient products.

Dell’s not alone – manufacturers such as IBM, HP and Sun have made recent announcements concerning the energy efficiency of their systems. IBM recently announced that it would launch a new business unit in 2007 that will focus on environmental technologies. Hewlett-Packard announced a new energy management system, dubbed HP Dynamic Smart Cooling, that’s designed to deliver 20 to 45 percent savings in cooling energy costs. In addition, Sun has unveiled its Project BlackBox.

Most recently, Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced that it is leading a nationwide coalition of utilities to tackle energy efficiency programs for the high tech sector, focusing on data centers and incentives for energy efficiency.