Data Center Operator Cuts Energy Bill By Going 'Green'Data Center Operator Cuts Energy Bill By Going 'Green'

By becoming greener in how it consumes energy, data center operator 365 Main last year saved a bunch of green on its electricity bill.

While data centers can curb their energy consumption through virtualization software and server consolidation, most of 365 Main's savings was achieved by shifting energy use at the company's San Francisco data center away from peak time.

The $54,000 in electricity savings last year was achieved by 365 Main's participation in an energy consumption incentive program by Pacific Gas & Electric called Critical Peak Pricing. The voluntary CPP program offers seasonal discounts to companies that curtail power usage in single buildings during high-peak energy consumption times, like the summer.