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Data Center Case Study

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It is estimated that the average energy budget for a data center is $10 million with $1 million, or 10%, being allocated to cooling costs, which are expected to quadruple in the next 5 years. Studies indicate that data centers are constructed to provide 150 watts of electricity per square foot of space while actual electric usage averages 50 watts per square foot, well above the normal 15 watts per square foot for ordinary office space.

Because data centers strive for reliable, uninterrupted power, UPS and standby diesel generators are used to back-up 100% of the facility's load. Achieving 100% reliability adds to the data center's mechanical equipment inventory and the costs associated with the maintenance of this critical equipment. In short, energy costs for data centers are significant and likely to increase.

Onsite generation through combined heat and power (CHP) technology can reduce a data center's energy costs and mitigate the risk of a prolonged utility outage. Specifically, in cooling applications, onsite cogeneration can serve as a demand side management tool to reduce the facility's electric consumption. A CHP onsite solution allows a data center to produce electricity and utilize the waste heat to drive an absorption chiller, which reduces the existing electric chillers' utility demand. The result is more efficient energy generation at a lower overall cost.

Data Center Example

Assumptions (Data Center Design Information)

~ Typical data center size is 50,000 square feet
~ Typical electric usage is 50 watts per square foot
~ 1000 watts = 1 kW * 8760 = kWh
~ Chilling load at this sized facility is 2400 tons with 100% redundancy

Methodology for Estimating Energy Usage

~ Assume actual energy usage is 36 watts per square foot
~ Assume chiller load is 1200 tons for 50,000 square feet

Example Facility

~ 85,500 sq ft facility

Energy Profile

~ 27,000, 000 kWh of electricity consumed annually
~ 2000 tons of centrifugal chilling
~ Bundled price for electricity is 11.5 cents/kWh
~ Annual electricity cost of $3,105,000

Energy Profile with a Cogeneration System

~ 19,287,000 kWh of electricity consumed annually
~ 16,558, 500 kWh from the CEP system
~ 2,728,500 kWh from the utility
~ 7,713,000 kWh reduced from waste heat utilization
~ After cogen bundled price for electricity is 8.75 cents/kWh

In this example a Cogen Solution provides a 24% annual savings over current practices.

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