Data centers are not likely to be a person’s first thought when they think of clean, renewable energy. These facilities have long been thought of as culprits in the overuse and misuse of energy and contributors to the worldwide pollution problem. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Today’s data centers are pushing the envelope of clean energy usage with new techniques and approaches that are keeping business moving at a brisk pace while reducing emissions and carbon footprints.
Why Go Energy-Efficient?
Most businesses in today’s market are moving toward energy efficiency because of social pressures. It isn’t just considered socially responsible to do so, though; there are a lot of other reasons to move toward energy-efficient technology.
Energy-efficient technology is cost-effective, especially over time. While this technology may require a larger initial investment, it is almost guaranteed to save businesses money over time via energy expenses. This allows these companies to pass those savings along to their consumers and clients – all while the business does its part to lessen their negative impact.
Energy-efficient technology is also much easier to acquire than it has ever been in the past. What was once costly and difficult to come by is now becoming the industry standard – and has resulted in more businesses implementing smart energy technology when they otherwise might not have.
How Today’s Data Centers are Making Use of Renewable Energy
There are several ways for today’s most successful data centers to become part of the energy efficiency solution. Some of the most productive include:
- Purchasing renewable energy contracts to deliver renewable energy to their facilities.
- Creating on-site renewable energy sources, such as solar panel arrays.
- Use of more energy-efficient – and often more complicated – financial transactions, such as Power Purchase Agreements.
Because the trend toward renewable energy is so prevalent in today’s world, these techniques are not considered new or cutting-edge. However, they can do a lot to transform the energy usage of these large facilities into something more manageable and sustainable for the planet. Using purchasing power – putting a company’s money where its values are – is a great way to make a positive difference.
For more information on the smart use of today’s renewable energy sources for larger facilities near you, contact the industry experts at LDP.