Energy efficient data center: familiarity with international experience
Energy efficiency, minimization of potentially hazardous emissions, prevention of harmful effects on the environment at a constant, and better, increased power of the facility - this is what occupies the minds of the control centers. Back in 2009, Greentech Media pointed out the fact that energy consumption by only one Google data center can be compared with what is spent on a whole Manhattan. Effective work with such a volume of energy resources and all sorts of restrictions implies not only regular updating of hardware, but also the redrawing of the entire infrastructure of the data center.
In some cases, it comes to the transition to fundamentally new technologies and even systemic “greening” of data centers. About how to implement both simple and absolutely fantastic ideas, let's talk in our material.
/ frame from video about our SDN + data center ( more about 1cloud infrastructure)
')
For high-level optimization of data center operation, various systems of performance management and monitoring (DCPM - Data Center Performance Management) are used. They analyze information on the consumption of certain resources, calculate basic indicators of energy efficiency and other metrics by which to evaluate the work of the data center.
The universal criteria include the following criteria proposed by the joint expert community:
Green Grid experts publish analytics and checklists to improve the work of data centers and search for new opportunities for their “greening”. Many data centers began to actively use the proposed methods, introduce new solutions and improve their own development. A significant role in this process is played by embedding the data center in the city’s overall energy ecosystem and using the region’s natural features.
/ video about datacenter Stack Data Network
The name of one of the most popular data center cooling technologies is free - cooling . It passed to the Russian language as tracing paper from English “free cooling”. The term is interesting from the point of view of translation - it reflects the essence of the technology: “natural” or “free” cooling. The basis of this technology is the use of outdoor air, which is passed, for example through rotary heat exchangers. This technology is being introduced by more and more companies, and some continue to sell excess heat.
Heat recovery and free cooling systems allow large data centers to direct excess heat energy to maintain optimal temperature in their homes. One example is the initiative of the Stockholm Government. The municipality, together with the Stockholm Data Parks project, intends to create an ecosystem within which “the heat of the data center will not be wasted”. During the project implementation it is planned to cover up to 10% of the energy consumed for heating the city. Of course, all this already finds the corresponding reaction of the companies - Borderlight AB announced the launch of a 5-megawatt data center in Stockholm with a view to selling excess heat. The server hardware will be supplied by GoGreenHost, a subsidiary of Borderlight, and Fortum Värme will redistribute the heat.
Yandex is not far behind and it helps to heat the Finnish city of Mäntsälä. Representatives of the company say that due to the sale of heat to the city, the company saves a third of the cost of electricity. Due to the Finnish climate, the data center can operate through direct free cooling . Thus, the company does not need complex cooling systems and can afford to install heat exchangers in the area of ​​hot air emission in order to transfer heated water to the city heat supply system. The data center Google also operates in this region, in the cooling system of which the ice waters of the Gulf of Finland are involved. Earlier, in the Finnish town of Hamina, in the place where the data center is now located, there was a paper mill. The total investment in the project is more than 350 million euros.
The climate of England, characterized by its harsh nature, and wind energy also allow local data centers to reduce the cost of cooling and electricity. The presence in the project of wind generators and the corresponding systems increases capital costs by 6-10% compared with the classic investment for the construction of the data center. All this pays off in just 4 years of operation. However, according to Reuters, the leading position in the field of wind energy is not occupied by the United Kingdom, but by Denmark - and the leaders of the IT market actively use this. Already this year Apple will launch its “wind” data center there.
/ Photo by Ian D. Keating CC-BY
In addition to wind energy, companies are actively using solar energy. For example, Apple's data center solar panels in Maiden (North Carolina) are capable of generating over 42 million kW / h of electricity per year. Top management of the data center claims that this volume is enough to supply 60% of equipment and cooling system, and the remaining 40% is covered by the biofuel station located near the data center.
There are more exotic examples - Verne Global data center in Reykjavik, which uses BMW. The power supply system of this data center uses geothermal energy and the power of the local hydroelectric station. The effective work of this data center contributes to the favorable climate of the region - it is moderately cold, and the temperature drops are insignificant.
Isolated examples of data centers have the potential for combined use of solar, water, and wind energy. For example, Citi Data Center in Frankfurt has a LEED certificate, which allows it to proudly carry the title of the “greenest” data center itself. According to the staff of the data center, it is pleasant to work in it, and to look at it is generally a pleasure: one of the facades is covered with real grass plantations, and the territory of the data center resembles an ordinary park.
Another notable example of embedding a data center in a surrounding ecosystem is the 1 & 1 Internet project in Kansas. For power and cooling the company uses wind, solar energy, water and geothermal resources.
Even with such vivid examples, the evolution of the data center does not end there - companies are trying to implement the most extraordinary ideas. For example, Microsoft is working on a project that, at first glance, seems incredible - the Natick data center will be located right in the ocean. The project can be called promising, but before launching it into an “industrial” mode of operation, the company will conduct all sorts of tests and experiments. If everything goes smoothly, the Microsoft “cloud” will become truly underwater.
Google, in contrast to its competitor, prefers flood to scuba diving. Thanks to the organization Nautilus Data Technologies, which in the near future will launch its revolutionary data center on the surface of the water, the concept of barges and data centers is no longer news. However, Google experts decided to go further and generate energy using giant kites, which, among other things, will set in motion the entire floating structure.
Additional reading in our corporate blog:
And in our blog on Habré:
In some cases, it comes to the transition to fundamentally new technologies and even systemic “greening” of data centers. About how to implement both simple and absolutely fantastic ideas, let's talk in our material.
/ frame from video about our SDN + data center ( more about 1cloud infrastructure)')
For high-level optimization of data center operation, various systems of performance management and monitoring (DCPM - Data Center Performance Management) are used. They analyze information on the consumption of certain resources, calculate basic indicators of energy efficiency and other metrics by which to evaluate the work of the data center.
The universal criteria include the following criteria proposed by the joint expert community:
- energy efficiency ratio (PUE - Power Usage Effectiveness);
- Infrastructure Efficiency Ratio (DCiE - Data Center Infrastructure Efficiency);
- water efficiency ratio (WUE - Water Usage Effectiveness);
- and carbon efficiency ratio (CUE - Carbon Usage Effectiveness).
Green Grid experts publish analytics and checklists to improve the work of data centers and search for new opportunities for their “greening”. Many data centers began to actively use the proposed methods, introduce new solutions and improve their own development. A significant role in this process is played by embedding the data center in the city’s overall energy ecosystem and using the region’s natural features.
/ video about datacenter Stack Data Network
The name of one of the most popular data center cooling technologies is free - cooling . It passed to the Russian language as tracing paper from English “free cooling”. The term is interesting from the point of view of translation - it reflects the essence of the technology: “natural” or “free” cooling. The basis of this technology is the use of outdoor air, which is passed, for example through rotary heat exchangers. This technology is being introduced by more and more companies, and some continue to sell excess heat.
Heat recovery and free cooling systems allow large data centers to direct excess heat energy to maintain optimal temperature in their homes. One example is the initiative of the Stockholm Government. The municipality, together with the Stockholm Data Parks project, intends to create an ecosystem within which “the heat of the data center will not be wasted”. During the project implementation it is planned to cover up to 10% of the energy consumed for heating the city. Of course, all this already finds the corresponding reaction of the companies - Borderlight AB announced the launch of a 5-megawatt data center in Stockholm with a view to selling excess heat. The server hardware will be supplied by GoGreenHost, a subsidiary of Borderlight, and Fortum Värme will redistribute the heat.
Yandex is not far behind and it helps to heat the Finnish city of Mäntsälä. Representatives of the company say that due to the sale of heat to the city, the company saves a third of the cost of electricity. Due to the Finnish climate, the data center can operate through direct free cooling . Thus, the company does not need complex cooling systems and can afford to install heat exchangers in the area of ​​hot air emission in order to transfer heated water to the city heat supply system. The data center Google also operates in this region, in the cooling system of which the ice waters of the Gulf of Finland are involved. Earlier, in the Finnish town of Hamina, in the place where the data center is now located, there was a paper mill. The total investment in the project is more than 350 million euros.
The climate of England, characterized by its harsh nature, and wind energy also allow local data centers to reduce the cost of cooling and electricity. The presence in the project of wind generators and the corresponding systems increases capital costs by 6-10% compared with the classic investment for the construction of the data center. All this pays off in just 4 years of operation. However, according to Reuters, the leading position in the field of wind energy is not occupied by the United Kingdom, but by Denmark - and the leaders of the IT market actively use this. Already this year Apple will launch its “wind” data center there.
/ Photo by Ian D. Keating CC-BY
In addition to wind energy, companies are actively using solar energy. For example, Apple's data center solar panels in Maiden (North Carolina) are capable of generating over 42 million kW / h of electricity per year. Top management of the data center claims that this volume is enough to supply 60% of equipment and cooling system, and the remaining 40% is covered by the biofuel station located near the data center.
There are more exotic examples - Verne Global data center in Reykjavik, which uses BMW. The power supply system of this data center uses geothermal energy and the power of the local hydroelectric station. The effective work of this data center contributes to the favorable climate of the region - it is moderately cold, and the temperature drops are insignificant.
Isolated examples of data centers have the potential for combined use of solar, water, and wind energy. For example, Citi Data Center in Frankfurt has a LEED certificate, which allows it to proudly carry the title of the “greenest” data center itself. According to the staff of the data center, it is pleasant to work in it, and to look at it is generally a pleasure: one of the facades is covered with real grass plantations, and the territory of the data center resembles an ordinary park.
Another notable example of embedding a data center in a surrounding ecosystem is the 1 & 1 Internet project in Kansas. For power and cooling the company uses wind, solar energy, water and geothermal resources.
Even with such vivid examples, the evolution of the data center does not end there - companies are trying to implement the most extraordinary ideas. For example, Microsoft is working on a project that, at first glance, seems incredible - the Natick data center will be located right in the ocean. The project can be called promising, but before launching it into an “industrial” mode of operation, the company will conduct all sorts of tests and experiments. If everything goes smoothly, the Microsoft “cloud” will become truly underwater.
Google, in contrast to its competitor, prefers flood to scuba diving. Thanks to the organization Nautilus Data Technologies, which in the near future will launch its revolutionary data center on the surface of the water, the concept of barges and data centers is no longer news. However, Google experts decided to go further and generate energy using giant kites, which, among other things, will set in motion the entire floating structure.
Additional reading in our corporate blog:
And in our blog on Habré:
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/338710/
All Articles