New Way To Save Energy And Money In The Data CenterNew Way To Save Energy And Money In The Data Center

Energy-hogging data centers have a hard enough time conserving power, especially since they need to be up and running all the time. So, it's no easy feat for data centers to guarantee cutting energy consumption during critical peak periods for power utilities, like during heat waves when everyone's got their air conditioners cranked up.

But 365 Main, which develops and operates data centers for other companies, has figured out a way to reduce its energy usage during peak months and is cashing in on a voluntary financial incentive program offered by Pacific Gas and Electric.

PG&E's Critical Peak Pricing program discounts energy prices for companies that can curtail their power consumption during the highest-volume energy months, May 1 to Oct 31. In the bigger picture, the CPP program helps PG&E offset the possibility of blackouts and brownouts during energy emergencies such as heat waves.

"From a utility standpoint, this helps eliminate power outages" and reduces demand on energy grids, says Mark Bramfitt, PG&E principal program manager for the high-tech sector.