Green Technology

Data centers use lots of energy ... from electricity to power the servers to electricity to power the AC units to keep things cool ...

Some are looking allowing the temperature to be set a little higher ... a recent 5 year pilot with Toyota and IBM was able to reduce consumption by 10% by looking at inefficiencies in the system. 

Read on for more ...

" ... by visualizing where hot spots and cooling inefficiencies existed and moving to address them, Toyota Motor Sales USA has been able to reduce the electricity demand ..."

"During a five-year pilot program ... Toyota was actually able to switch off two computer room air-conditioners even while maintaining a cooler ambient air temperature and reducing hot spots throughout its facility, ... relied on software from IBM Research called IMB Measurement and Management Technologies ... uses thermal readings from floor to ceiling ... and creates a three-dimensional chart that can be used to find power and cooling inefficiencies ..."

" ... assessment by Southern California Edison verified that these actions have helped reduce energy demand in the data center by more than 10 percent. ..."

Via:  ZDNet LINK