The document discusses the growing energy consumption of data centers and makes the case for government incentives and regulation to promote more energy efficient servers and data centers. It notes that data centers are critical infrastructure experiencing surging demand that is leading to higher costs due to rising energy intensity. The document also points out that the cost of electricity and supporting infrastructure for data centers now surpasses the capital cost of IT equipment itself and there is impact on regional power grids from data center energy use.

1. Greening the Data Center:
The IT Industry’s Energy
Efficiency Imperative
Larry Vertal, Senior Strategist
Advanced Micro Devices

2. Why All the Interest in Data Centers?
Building the case for Government Incentives/Regulation… HR 5646
1. Directed EPA to study energy efficient servers and data centers
2. Directs federal agencies to consider energy efficiency for server purchases
• Critical national and global infrastructure
• Surging demand for data processing and storage
• Rising energy intensity leads to higher cost of delivering
information services
• Power and cooling limits in existing facilities
• Driving data center building boom
• Cost of electricity and supporting infrastructure now surpasses
capital cost of IT equipment
• Impact on regional power grids
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