Energy Consumption
Computer Science: OCR A Level, topic 5.2.6
Energy Consumption
It's no surprise that technology uses a lot of energy. But it might be more than most people think.
Data centres
- Data centres are some of the worst offenders for energy consumption.
- Not only do the servers need to be powered, but they also need a lot of energy for their cooling systems.
How much energy?
- In 2011, the US department for energy calculated that data centres in the US alone need 70 billion kWh of electricity each year.
- To put that in perspective, that's 2% of America's total power consumption.
- It's also the same as leaving over 80 million lightbulbs turned on.
Reducing energy consumption
- Energy consumption in data centres can be reduced by using hot and cold aisles. This is making sure that one server's air outtake (hot) does not blow into another server's air intake (cold).
- We can also reduce consumption by using server virtualisation, where multiple virtual servers can run on one piece of hardware. This reduces redundant servers.
Test yourself on Energy Consumption
What are some of the worst offenders for energy consumption within technology?
What is the 'hidden' energy cost of running computer systems?