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With faster, more powerful machines comes increases in energy use, especially behind the closed doors of high-tech computer rooms; this fact has been troubling the superstars of the tech world for some time. Because of this rise in energy and consumption, they have turned their focus to re-thinking current energy use standard in everything from computers to power supplies.
Excess energy use is considered the number one issue facing the tech realm’s vendors and their customers. Along with increased demand for better, quicker technology, the past several years have seen a spike in electrical costs. According to a study done by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory staff scientist professor Jonathan Koomey, the annual global increase in energy costs between the years 2000 and 2005 jumped to 7.3 billion, almost doubling.
The Green Grid Consortium
Outside of the tech industry, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of them. Comprised of the powers that be of the technology world and led by AMD, this consortium of tech giants aims to lower power consumption and focus on energy efficient technology in everything from power supplies to servers and data centers.
The list of who’s who in the group reads like a list of superstars of the tech world:
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices Inc.), who formed the initial consortium with Hewlett Packard, IBM and Sun Microsystems. Earlier this year Intel joined and they brought in Dell and Microsoft. Its board of directors is comprised of AMD, IBM, Intel, Rackable Systems, APC, Dell, HP, Microsoft, SprayCool, VMware and Sun Microsystems.
Yet to join are Google and large power supply manufacturers like Lite On, Delta and Astec/Artesyn, though the Green Grid Consortium is urging power supply manufacturers like LiteOn, Astec/Artesyn and Delta to come aboard. This is important to the Green Grid because one of the main areas of focus is power supplies; they see power supplies as the easiest and most effective way to eliminate excessive energy use.
The goal of the Green Grid Consortium is to come up with increasingly newer, better ways to conserve power and ensure it is used efficiently. Fully non-profit, the consortium’s ultimate goal is to create technology that requires less energy and money to function. Also falling into their long-term plans are including the public in the group and giving them a chance to offer their input.
Regular people not directly involved can become a part of it by signing up for membership and sharing ideas and information over the forums. To further this exchange of knowledge, the group recently released their first three white papers which are now available to the public.
