HP claims it can build a data centre that requires no power from the grid.
Data centres are notoriously power hungry from server dissipation and the air conditioning needed to keep internal temperatures down.
"Research shows how the architecture,combined with holistic energy-management techniques,enables organizations to cut total power usage by 30%,as well as dependence on grid power and costs by more than 80%"said the firm,with the caveat that the figures are"based on internal HP testing and calculations in a lab environment,as compared to existing,non-integrated techniques".
Calling the concept'Net-Zero Energy Data Center',the"architecture integrates energy and cooling supply from local renewable sources,with a novel demand-management approach that allows the scheduling of IT workloads based on resource availability and performance requirements,"said HP.
For example,noncritical,delay-tolerant workloads could be scheduled during daylight hours to coincide with solar supply for data centres equipped with photovoltaic energy generation.
The concept appears to rely on algorithms that forecast energy,cooling and workload needs,as well as available energy resources.
Beyond a reference to solar,HP's announcement was not forthcoming on the source and magnitude of necessary renewable energy and cooling resources.
Details are being presented in the research paper"Towards the Design and Operation of Net-Zero Energy Data Centers,"at the to be presented tomorrow at the IEEE Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electrical Systems conference.
There is a video on HP's Net-Zero concept.
