DOE: $29M for Weatherization Training Centers
Energy Star Launched for Data Centers
U.S. Small Wind Market Gained Ground in 2009
Forecasters Predict Very Active Atlantic Hurricane Season
DOE Halts Sales of Inefficient Heat Pumps, Air Conditioners
ZeaChem Breaks Ground on Oregon Cellulosic Biorefinery
DOE Awards $29 Million for Weatherization Training Centers
DOE selected 34 projects to develop and expand weatherization training centers across the country - they will receive $29 million under the Recovery Act. Located in 27 states, the projects will provide green jobs training for local workers in energy efficiency retrofitting and weatherization services.
The funding will support expansion of eight existing weatherization training centers and establishment of 26 new training centers, more than tripling the number of DOE-funded weatherization training centers nationally.
Under the Recovery Act, the Obama Administration is making unprecedented investments in clean energy, including $5 billion to significantly ramp the pace of weatherization in the US. These training programs will support a range of public and private energy efficiency efforts, including DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program. That program has funded weatherization of nearly 200,000 homes since last February, using both Recovery Act and annual program funds. See the DOE press release and the Web site for DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program.
Data Centers Can Now Earn the Energy Star Label
The U.S. EPA announced on June 7 that stand-alone data centers and buildings that house large data centers can now earn the Energy Star label.
To earn the Energy Star label, data centers must be in the top 25% of their peers in terms of energy efficiency, as measured by EPA's energy performance scale.
The EPA uses a commonly accepted measure for energy efficiency, the Power Usage Effectiveness metric, to determine whether a data center qualifies for the Energy Star label. Before being awarded the Energy Star, a licensed professional must independently verify the energy performance of these buildings and sign and seal the application document that is sent to the EPA for review and approval. The Energy Star program is a joint effort of DOE and the EPA.
Data centers are found in nearly every sector of the economy and deliver vital information technology services, including data storage, communications, and Internet accessibility. Data centers use a significant amount of energy, accounting for 1.5% of total U.S. electricity consumption at a cost of $4.5 billion annually, an amount that is expected to almost double over the next five years.
Based on the latest available data, improving the energy efficiency of U.S. data centers by just 10% would save more than 6 billion kilowatt-hours each year, enough to power more than 350,000 homes and save more than $450 million annually. See the EPA press release and the Data Center Energy Efficiency Initiatives page on the Energy Star Web site.
Data centers can improve energy efficiency in many ways, such as purchasing Energy Star-qualified servers and ensuring that all cooling equipment functions properly. In fact, DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) has been studying energy use in data centers for years, and has compiled a list of 67 best practices for data centers, covering such topics as air delivery systems and water systems for cooling, internal and external power supplies, and other issues. LBNL also worked with the PG&E to create design guidelines for high-performance data centers. Access to both is available on the "Data Centers: Best Practice Summaries" page on LBNL's High-Performance Buildings for High-Tech Industries Web site.
