Solar Powered Data Centre

While we would love to be able to utilise a 100% solar powered data centre here in the UK, the UK climate and the costs this would involve, currently prohibits us from doing so. However, that's not to say we won't be looking to develop this in the future. For the time being, our carefully selected data centre is located in the near year round California sunshine.

Power is generated using 120 solar panels located on two large sets of arrays (1), one on each side of the building. The solar panel arrays face due south, and are capable of generating up to 60 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day. The power from the solar panels is DC, which is converted to AC through Sunny Boy inverters (2). After it is converted using the inverters it is stored in a battery bank (3). It then leaves the battery bank and runs through the data centre and offices, including the air conditioners (4).

The building has been designed with the environment in mind and to use the lowest amount of energy possible, through the latest in green building techniques. The building itself is almost completely constructed out of steel with the only wood being used for the door frames. The walls of the building have several layers of environmentally friendly insulation, which helps to keep cool air in and hot air out, reducing the energy needs to run the data centre.

Two redundant cooling systems, by Freus Inc, are energy star compliant and serviced monthly. They monitor outside air temperature and when it gets 50°F or below, they suck the outside air in, filter it and direct it into the data center thus saving electricity when its cool outside.

Current plans being worked on are for the design of a green roof consisting of drought-resistant plants. This will reduce the cooling and heating requirements for the data centre by up to 50%.

More than seven Solar tubes bring natural sunlight into the building, so no lights are needed during the day. When lights are needed, this is provided by LED lighting, reducing the electricity needed compared to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs or regular lightbulbs and containing no mercury.

The entire data centre is backed up via a generator that runs on propane gas, unlike the diesel generators found at most other hosting companies. Propane is cleaner burning than diesel, does not emit large amounts of carbon dioxide and produces no sulfur dioxide or particulates (primary causes of the greenhouse effect and acid rain). Additionally, since propane vaporizes rapidly, it won't contaminate soil or groundwater if there was a leak or spillage. The generator is for emergency use only and is tested weekly.