Power

Data centers and information systems consume a tremendous amount of electrical power.

Data centers worldwide are estimated to consume between 1 percent and 2 percent of all electrical power generated.

This figure has remained somewhat constant over the past decade due to increasing use of virtual and cloud computing, which makes more efficient use of systems, and the increasing efficiency of the underlying computing hardware. Nevertheless, it is a tremendous amount of power.

The power needs to be delivered both constantly and consistently. Wide fluctuations in the quality of power affect system life span, while disruptions in supply completely stop system operations. In data centers where downtime is measured in millions of dollars per hour, the resilience and quality of the electrical service is essential.

Not surprisingly, inefficiencies in generation, changes in voltage, and other inefficiencies in transmission result in significant losses of power, often more than 60 percent.

To provide redundant power back to the point of generation requires proper siting of the data center itself. While this approach requires extensive planning, it also provides high resilience.

In a typical (and highly oversimplified) electrical grid, the generation of power is distributed along transmission lines at very high voltages to substations, where it is "stepped down" to lower voltages for distribution.