WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The Green Grid to promote energy efficiency in small computer rooms. The effort begins with evaluating an existing EPA computer room for ways to optimize energy efficiency, then finding ways to standardize processes and performance measures. Ultimately, the goal of this partnership is to share best practices for replication with other governmental agencies and industry stakeholders.

According to the EPA, computer rooms across the United States accounted for 1.5 percent of total U.S. electricity demand in 2006 — equivalent to the annual electric consumption of the state of Florida. “Throughout the U.S., computer centers are becoming the fastest growing users of energy. As this sector experiences tremendous growth, EPA and The Green Grid see tremendous opportunity,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. While these computer rooms may be small, they are numerous at EPA and other large organizations, says the agency, and this effort promises to yield large energy savings.

Johnson and John Tuccillo, a director of The Green Grid, formalized the MOU in a signing ceremony held in Washington, D.C.

The Green Grid is a global consortium of companies dedicated to advancing energy efficiency in data centers. For more information, visit www.thegreengrid.org.

Publication date: 04/28/2008