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The electricity consumption of IT-equipment in European countries amounts to more than 7% of the overall electricity consumption. An increasing part of that is due to servers and server infrastructure. Worldwide energy consumption of servers is about 123 TWh/a. Annual consumption of servers in the USA is comparable to TV sets. Servers and the infrastructure significantly contribute to the energy consumption and operating costs of IT-equipment in the private and public service sector. Energy costs for the operation of servers are expected to exceed costs for hardware by 2015.
At both European and US-level activities to prepare energy efficiency standards for servers have been started recently. In the USA currently the basis for specifications in the Energy Star programme are prepared. In Europe the development of a new voluntary agreement for energy efficient servers and data centres (code of conduct) is discussed. The Efficient Servers project co-operates with both international initiatives.
By use of highly efficient server systems energy and cost savings between 20 and 70% can be achieved in the hardware and infrastructure. Options for technical measures include the use of energy efficient hardware- and software components as well as a total consolidation or virtualisation of the server system.
Energy efficient server solutions offer the following benefits:
• | Strong reductions of the electricity consumption for servers | • | Reduced energy consumption and costs in the server infrastructure | • | Overall positive ecological effects via a reduction of energy consumption and related emissions |
The project « Efficient Servers » supports the development of the market for energy efficient servers by means of the following measures:
• | The definition of independent widely accepted benchmarks of energy efficiency criteria allowing an evaluation and comparison of server solutions from different manufacturers | • | Best practise-cases evaluating and demonstrating the efficiency potentials | • | The development of information material and guidelines for procurement and management of energy efficient cost saving servers | • | Development of leasing concepts, rebate concepts and concepts for guaranteed savings |
Stakeholders interested in the project (e.g. policy makers, research institutes etc.) are invited to register via the web-link. By registering you make sure to receive further information on project results and to be involved in the stakeholder discussion. There are options for more specific co-operation at certain stages of the project.
The contact persons are available for any further specific information on the project.
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