From PUE to GUE — Measuring the Continued Evolution of Data Center Sustainability

Sean Farney, Director of Knowledge Heart Advertising, Kohler Energy Programs, highlights the necessity  for an all-encompassing and standardized option to measure and report on knowledge heart sustainability throughout all the knowledge heart ecosystem.

Sean Farney, Director of Knowledge Heart Advertising, Kohler Energy Programs.

In The Power of the Negawatt: Efficiency Improves Data Centers’ Energy Impact, Wealthy Miller  

just lately gave the info heart {industry} some lengthy overdue credit score for bending the facility consumption curve down whereas considerably increasing server fleet dimension during the last 10 years.

Led from the entrance by the GAFAM Hyperscalers, we warmly embraced (Energy Utilization Effectiveness) as a measurement instrument and, subsequently, gamified it amongst peer corporations in an asymptotic race to 1.0.

Whereas at Microsoft, on the behest of luminaries Mike Manos and Christian Belady (PUE’s primogenitor),

I led a really gifted group in bringing the primary large-scale (120MW) Container knowledge heart on-line.  By pondering creatively- placing servers in a field to extra effectively handle air flow- we achieved industry-leading PUE of 1.2.  Not essentially revolutionary; knowledge heart managers had been developing all method of contraptions to steer scorching air in raised flooring environments.  However evolutionary to the extent that tetrapods transitioning from water to land was; sort of an enormous change.  Not solely did we drop OpEx 30%, however we superior sustainability considerably by consuming much less vitality.  From the Inexperienced Grid to the Wholesale constructing frenzy that ensued, this ethos unfold throughout all the {industry}, resulting in a tradition of PUE-guided sensibility.

As parallel in broader {industry}, I level to the success that Ford has had with their EcoBoost engine platform.  By sizing the engine for median energy output, however turbo charging it for temporary durations of peak output- extraordinarily evolutionary, however not revolutionary thinking- Ford has engineered 30% higher gas economic system and 15% much less greenhouse emissions.  And as a buyer, I’m delighted that my F-150’s “little” V6 places out 450 horsepower but will get 20 miles to the gallon, that means fewer outings to Kwik Journey.    

It’s helpful to make use of this context when fascinated about the following chapter in knowledge heart sustainability measurement.  PUE hasn’t turn into passe, however due to elevated measurement capabilities throughout all the knowledge heart sustainability worth chain, it now feels unidimensional.  For instance, I just lately noticed an advert from NTT Knowledge Facilities that included a facility-specific breakdown of utility energy era source- fuel, photo voltaic, wind, nuclear, coal, and so on.  This granularity is each spectacular and a robust demand sign for multivariate measurement.

We actually do have a terrific story to inform about our sustainability evolution within the area and shouldn’t waste the chance!

EPA Licensed Tier 4 Ultimate generator (Picture: Courtesy of Kohler)

Equally, diesel generator producers have been engineering hard since 2014 to satisfy the U.S. EPA emissions necessities known as ‘Tier 4’ .   Between aftermarket remedy applied sciences and enclosure programs, pollutant emissions have been drastically curtailed within the final ten years.  The abatement programs employed additionally give operators the power to measure and trumpet these advances.  At Kohler, we’re on the front-lines of this battle towards emitted pollution and are proud to offer factory-direct Tier 4 packaged models.

Given the rising depth of sustainability optics and the volumes of analytics we now have at our disposal, we actually want a brand new measurement spec.  I’ll playfully coin the moniker GUE- Inexperienced Utilization Effectiveness (pausing for eyeroll) as merely a placeholder to precise the necessity for an all-encompassing and standardized option to measure and report on the sustainability throughout all the knowledge heart ecosystem.  Answering the inevitable and instant hue and cry, I say “we did this earlier than”— assume Uptime Institute Tier Classifications.  It was the same problem, albeit with a design & engineering reply, however the {industry} agreed to frequent language and parameters to drive standardized outcomes.  Only a thought, however one maybe {industry} management ought to examine.  We actually do have a terrific story to inform about our sustainability evolution within the area and shouldn’t waste the chance!

Sean Farney is the Director of Knowledge Heart Advertising at Kohler Power Systems.