Power Usage in Data Centers

Data centers have always dealt with the challenge of high power usage and consumption. An efficient data center requires high amounts of power, without which its services and the businesses associated with it would all come to a standstill. Over the years, however, there have been plenty of thoughtful innovations that have helped data centers drastically lower their power consumption levels, but it still isn’t where it needs to be. Here is the current state of power usage in data centers today.

Interesting comparisons

When compared to everyday situations, the power consumption of a data center seems colossal. Even at the end of 2013, the power used by data centers all over the world could be compared to the output of 30 nuclear power plants, considering that they shared 30 billion watts of energy between them. In fact, a single data center uses more than 100 times the energy used for a building the same size or the equivalent of 25,000 homes in the US.

Power usage by data centers

Statistics show that in America alone, the year 2012 documented data centers using 9,900MW of power, while in 2013, this number rose to 10,560MW. Of course, no other country in the world has adopted technology the way the US has and, therefore, it remains the undisputed international leader. In fact, the numbers for all of Europe only add up to a little more than figures for the US, standing at 12,705MW and 13,470MW for 2012 and 2013 respectively.

Between 2011 and 2012, the rise in power consumption for data centers clocked 19% and caused great concern. The rising cost of power and the detrimental effects to the environment were some major factors that caused the government, as well as the public, to sit up and take notice. In 2013, however, this figure dropped down to just 7%, thus signaling a wave of energy efficiency measures. If one considers the comparative forecast through 2016, this translates into energy savings of at least 1,000MW.

At Lifeline Data Centers, we understand the concerns related to power usage and reiterate our commitment to optimized energy use through every innovation we adopt. After all, power savings are great for the environment and our business, too! Schedule a tour to learn more about our energy efficient techniques.

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.