Data Centers Prepare for a Renewable Future

miller60 writes "A small but growing number of data centers are generating renewable energy at their facility, despite challenges with cost and scalability. In a special report, Data Center Knowledge looks at data centers implementing on-site solar power, wind energy, geothermal cooling and recycling waste heat from their hot aisles. Even as some projects choose to go green, other data center operators insist that improved power efficiency offers a far better return and carbon impact than pursuing on-site renewables."

Comments

Renewable energy sources are too slow.

[ScentCone]

A datacenter running on its own renewables would be doing something like growing trees on the roof and then burning them, or using waste heat to drive algae scum units and then oil-ifying them, etc. Otherwise you are harvesting/harnessing other sources of energy (wind, solor) or simply pumping your energy into the ground, which you are thus warming up (geothermal cooling). Wind and solar are not renewable per se, they're merely abundant and not terribly efficient to use.