Data Center Efficiency

Colorado and Minnesota data centers and large-scale IT operations can earn rebates and realize energy savings with our Data Center Efficiency program. Reduce your IT operating costs and consumption.

Many measures are easy to implement, financially attractive and also help the environment. Whether you have an existing data center or plan to design/build a new one, discover energy-saving strategies that significantly improve your bottom line.

Data Center Efficiency offers options:

• Energy Study: An energy expert will evaluate your existing data center or your plans for a new one and recommend energy-saving measures, provide cost estimates and identify rebate amounts.
  
• Implementation: You implement a package of efficiency measures identified in a study, or other preapproved projects, and earn rebates on the implemented projects.

If you’re building a new data center at an existing facility, the study report will outline what measures should be taken now to avoid costly retrofitting later.

You must receive preapproval before the study and implementation of any measures.

Do you want to significantly cut energy costs for your IT operations or data center? Are you planning to redesign or build a new data center or IT location? Data Center Efficiency can help you:

• Earn rebates of as much as 75% of the cost of an energy efficiency study, up to $25,000 (preapproval required).
• Benefit from rebates of $400 per kilowatt (kW) saved on energy-efficient implementations.
• Boost ROI of your data management, better manage energy costs and improve reliability.
• Design your new data center for peak efficiency and avoid costly retrofitting later.
• Help the environment and make your IT operations greener.

With Data Center Efficiency, you can reduce your energy costs through various measures including:

• High-Efficiency Servers: New servers are 25% more efficient while ENERGY STAR® servers can deliver even greater efficiency.
• Server Virtualization/Consolidation: Virtualization and consolidation can increase server load factors from a typical 10% to 50–70% without loss in reliability and deliver up to an 80% reduction in energy use.
• Airflow Improvements: Strategies include: optimizing air inlet and return, minimizing the mixing of hot and cold air and directing air only to where it is needed.
• Electrical Equipment and Power Systems: Save on high-efficiency batteries, transformers, UPS (uninterruptible power supply), inverters, and high-efficiency power supplies including those in cabinets and storage devices. In some cases, new equipment is up to 15% more efficient than older systems.
• High-Efficiency Cooling Equipment: Besides high-efficiency chillers and roof top units, technologies are available for improving air distribution allowing greater use of air and water side economizers versus central plant cooling.
• Humidification: Best practices include relaxed humidity controls to a range of 25–60% and more efficient humidifying using evaporative and ultrasonic mechanisms.
• High-Efficiency Lighting Equipment: There is opportunity to save energy by installing higher-efficiency lighting when upgrading or designing your data center.

To qualify, you must:

• Be a business customer of Xcel Energy in Colorado or Minnesota. (Colorado natural gas transport customers do not qualify for natural gas rebates).
• Have an existing IT facility you wish to upgrade or be designing a new data center.

1. To enroll, complete and return a study or project preapproval application to your Xcel Energy account manager or call our Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700 to get started.
2. Once you receive preapproval, you can conduct the study or start your project.
3. After your study, complete and submit the study rebate application.

If you have any questions regarding Data Center Efficiency, contact your Xcel Energy account manager or call our Business Solutions Center at 1-800-481-4700.