Data centres consume 3% of UK electricity
Published on : 28/04/2009
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Data centres are responsible for the consumption of three per cent of the UK's energy and their carbon footprints are set to overtake those of other large electricity and gas using business customers.
It has been predicted that the carbon footprint of the data centre sector will even surpass that of the aviation industry soon.
Speaking to the BBC, a specialist from consultancy firm CB Richard Ellis gave an example of the huge amount of electricity data centres consume.
Andrew Jay told the news provider: "A Hertfordshire data centre [based in Welwyn Garden City] that was recently built uses about 25 megawatts of power and that's equivalent to all the residential properties of Ipswich."
Mr Jay added that the data centre market is growing at an exponential rate and that the use of new energy-efficient technology may be the only way to reduce the cost of electricity for such businesses.
The National Trust recently virtualised its data centre technology in an attempt to cut its electricity consumption.
