With all the data centers sprouting up these days, everyone is trying to figure out the best ways to manage their power resources. Energy efficiency becomes an important topic when you take into consideration the tremendous amount of energy it takes to power a data center. Sometimes it isn’t economically feasible for a company to start bringing in new technology to replace all their old hardware even though they want to save on electric bills. Keeping that in mind, there are a few small tweaks in day to day operations and procedures that can translate into big dividends by reducing the overall power consumption in your data center.
Raise the Room Temperature
One of the simplest ways to conserve energy and cut costs is to consider raising the overall temperature of the office. A few clicks on the thermostat could make all the difference on your energy bill. Data centers are traditionally run cold because evidence suggests that hardware runs much better in a cool environment with low humidity. After researching the matter and working closely with equipment manufacturers, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers determined that data center equipment can withstand higher temperatures and wider ranges of humidity than we had previously thought. They found that the equipment can comfortably handle temperatures and humidity roughly 5 degrees and 5% higher, respectively.
Regulate PC Shutdowns
With power management tools and remote systems management software, IT administrators can control the power to the floor remotely, effectively shutting down or putting to sleep any idle computers. Making sure the whole office is shut down overnight could net savings of anywhere between $15-$20 per computer annually. Remote system management software tools allow IT administrators to remotely manage the power settings of every PC on the network and automatically shut down, hibernate, or put any idle computers to sleep. It will also allow your IT department to customize wattage settings to specific groups of users and shows the amount of power, kilowatt-hours, and dollars saved. These tools coupled with a reputable energy supplier that offer fixed rate energy deals with help you drastically save on your energy bill.
Upgrade All Power Supply Sources
There are new uninterruptible power supply sources that maintain a minimum of 97% efficiency. That means only 3% of incoming power leaks out as heat. Older power supply systems only operate at about 70%-80% efficiency, which means 20%-30% of power is released as heat. Purchasing a new modular UPS system can help you keep some of that energy from being lost. It is important to try and find a fixed rate energy deal from your energy supplier as well.
These are just a few of the things you can do to try and conserve power and save on your energy bill. It is still very important to find a reputable electric and gas company in New York. If you decide to purchase a fixed-rate energy deal from your energy company then you don’t have to worry about using too much electricity and racking up an enormous bill. Please contact us at City Power and Gas if you wish to find out about our excellent deals on clean, environmentally friendly energy produced from natural resources.