Turning a data center into a green one makes a lot of sense today because sustainable data centers with their power usage effectiveness are the only viable future of the industry, and this future is just around the corner. In the 2020s, corporate responsibility is a must, and building green data centers is undoubtedly the way to achieve better corporate responsibility. The market of green data centers is ever-expanding and is supposed to reach 143 billion dollars by the year 2026. The majority of the initiatives presented right now set 2030 as the year of achievement. Many companies, including the powerhouses like Google, are expected to become carbon-free by that time.

What is a Green Data Center or a Sustainable Data Center? 

A green data hub is a sustainable technology server facility that implements energy-effective technologies to reduce the negative environmental impact often caused by the traditional data centers. 

These data hubs never use redundant, old technologies and have no hardware stuck in the building due to the high costs of disposing of it. Sustainable data centers take advantage of all the latest technological innovations available on the market. Sooner or later, data centers that use redundant technologies will become a thing of the past.

Why are Green Data Centers Getting Importance? 

Data centers are known to use large amounts of energy. Their presence is expected to grow exponentially as the number of Internet users increases and their network expands. Though the estimates vary, it is generally suggested that data centers are responsible for about 2 percent CO2 emissions in the world and approximately the same amount of electricity consumption. While this is already an impressive amount given the overconsumption in the world and the current state of the climate, the increase in internet use makes scientists worry about the future of the data center power consumption.

Turning a data center into a green one makes a lot of sense today. While the environmental impact is the main reason data centers are starting to rebrand into green ones, there are a lot of surrounding issues. Public awareness about environmental issues continues to grow, and most large economies have introduced green legislation that actively pressures the companies to change in favor of green initiatives. Besides, the cost of energy is growing and is unlikely ever to come down.

What is Power Usage Effectiveness?

Power usage effectiveness, or PUE, is a mathematical formula that describes how efficiently the data center uses the energy and the actual ratio between the energy used by the actual computer equipment and the equipment used to support the data center (cooling, etc.). The standard was elevated to the status of a global one in 2016.

PUE is calculated as total facility energy divided by the energy used by the IT equipment. Suppose this number is the same as non-IT facility energy divided by the energy used by the IT equipment plus one. In that case, the data center can be considered effective from the perspective of data use. 

The formula can be made more accessible and take into account only total facility energy divided by the energy used by the IT equipment. If the resulting coefficient is 1.2, the data center is considered very efficient. The coefficient of 1.5 means that the center is efficient, while two indicates that it is average. Everything lower than that points out varying levels of inefficiency.

Is There a Legal Status That Determines Whether the Data Center Is The Green One?

The legislation regarding data centers varies from country to country. Still, the US Standard LEED is generally considered a standard for green facilities of all sorts worldwide, including data centers. However, LEED certification is still on the rise in the country, with only about 5 percent of US data centers certified as green.

What Makes a Successful Green Data Center?

Successful green data centers rely on various technologies, but the key is using alternative energy and running appropriate energy audits. Aside from the performance of IT machines and power utilization, the owners of alternative data centers pay plenty of attention to how they go about cooling, water, and the overall use of electricity.

Technologies are very different depending on what makes the most sense to the company. 

• Verne Global, the most famous green data center in Iceland that is the home to BMW Group, is powered by geothermal and hydroelectric energy. 
• Another hydroelectric green data center, Facebook's facility in Sweden, uses water-cooling technologies and heavily relies on the Nordic climate to sustain the operations.
• U.S-based data centers of Apple use the most available types of renewable energy, adding solar and wind energy to what we already mentioned. Innovative water cooling and LED lighting are also part of the equation.
• In Finland, Google is the first company to use seawater cooling. It is also big on recycling literally all electrical equipment it ever uses.
• Mini portable data centers instead of traditional large ones, servers that use lower power, and heat reuse are also big steps towards green energy.

How Can You Alter Your Data Center To Become a Green One?

• Create a plan that measures your use of energy. An audit is the first step towards creating a green data center because all energy should be accounted for.
• Think of the first steps towards a green data center. Investing in the hottest technologies on the market might not be your first option. You may think of things like investing in LED lighting, creating a waste management plan, buying equipment made of lower-emitting materials, or creating a more efficient cooling system. Outside air economizers can help you greatly with the cooling.
• Go solar (or any other alternative energy source that works for you). Switching to alternative energy, combined with smart technological decisions, is basically the best thing you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your data center. You can power your entire data center with solar power or choose to provide 40 to 60 percent of power in your data center.
• If unsure, buy a pre-built modular green data hub. 

Currently, there are plenty of pre-developed solutions on the market that have the architecture built for the maximum efficiency of your green data center. If planning will consume too many resources, this is a viable option to look for.

How To Choose The Right Cables For Green Data Centers?

Since power cables have a huge impact on your green data center's energy efficiency, it is important to keep the cables organized. Also, as a rule, the shorter the cables are, the more energy-efficient their performance is.

Fiber optic cables are the most energy-efficient network cables available on the market. Most copper cables used in modern data centers score well on the energy-efficiency scale, given how well they perform in alternative energy settings. If you consider switching to solar as the main way to power your data center, PV cables will do the best job for you. Visit https://nassaunationalcable.com/ for the best deals on green data center cabling. We keep up with the latest trends on the market, and our dedicated team will help you discover the best solutions for you.