December 20, 2008
December 12, 2008
IBM Climate Change Strategy
IBM was recognized as the top company for climate change strategy and practices in the Ceres report, which evaluates climate change governance at large companies. ...
... "In particular, IBM's products and services are addressing not only IT's own direct impact upon energy consumption and CO2 emissions, but also the ways in which IT can help solve the world's energy and climate challenges. " ...Via IBM: #1 Climate Change Strategies
December 10, 2008
IBM Harvard Collaborate to Create Higher Efficiency Solar Photovoltaic Cells
IBM and Harvard University will create a community-driven grid computing model that will harness unused computer cycles to perform computational chemistry, screening compunds for photovoltaic efficiency. ...
... "Current silicon based solar cells are only about 20 per cent efficient and cost about $3 per watt of electricity generated. A newer form of solar powered cells being developed is plastic not silicon based. It holds great promise because it is flexible, lightweight and most significant is much less costly to produce. " ...Via IBM: Lower Cost, More Efficient Solar Cell Research Project
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November 25, 2008
Built-In Solar Technology Future
IBM Labs share their perspective on the near-term future that technology advancements will impact. The concept of built-in solar technology should become more prevalent as solar cells become more efficient, cheaper, and thinner. ...
... "In the next five years, solar energy will be an affordable option for you and your neighbors. Until now, the materials and the process of producing solar cells to convert into solar energy have been too costly for widespread adoption. But now this is changing with the creation of thin-film solar cells, a new type of cost-efficient solar cell that can be 100 times thinner than silicon-wafer cells and produced at a lower cost. These new thin-film solar cells can be printed and arranged on a flexible backing, suitable for not only the tops, but also the sides of buildings, tinted windows, cell phones, notebook computers, cars, and even clothing. " ...Via IBM: Future Innovations
IBM video on the next Top 5 innovations ...
October 13, 2008
IBM and AISO.net -- World's 1st 100 % Solar Powered Web Hosting
" ... world's first and only 100 percent solar-powered Web hosting company, has completed a massive data center consolidation initiative using IBM technology, resulting in a 60 percent reduction in overall power and cooling costs associated with the company's IT operations.
" ... AISO.Net worked ... to overhaul its data center and implement ... IBM's Cool Blue ... to increase their energy efficiency in the data center.
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"For the past decade, AISO.Net has used solar power to power our data center and network, ... As a result of the tremendous growth in Web hosting ... were faced with the dilemma of how to remain true to our commitment to the environment and continue to see rapid, top-line growth. ... Data center consolidation through virtualization eased the strain on AISO.Net's solar panel system and helped ensure the company's 100 percent commitment to solar power. ... "
Via: IBM Link
September 06, 2008
Raleigh NC Green Data Center
IBM discusses green data center in North Carolina ...
September 04, 2008
May 20, 2008
Energy Management Software Provides Enterprise View of Consumption
IBM introduces new software that will enable customers to maximize energy efficiency and reduce costs associated with power and cooling of data centers. The new version of IBM Tivoli Monitoring software provides consolidated views of energy management information that supports enterprise optimization, energy alerts, and preventive actions. ...
... "IBM is combining the new energy management software with partner solutions to provide customers with a comprehensive view of energy consumption across the enterprise -- not just in data centers but also in non-IT assets such as air conditioning equipment, power distribution units, lighting, and security systems. " ...Via IBM: New Data Center Energy Management Software
May 15, 2008
Liquid Metal Solar Photovoltaic Concentrator
IBM solar research efforts discover breakthrough in photovoltaics technology by concentrating solar power. A record amount of power (230 watts) have been concentrated on a centimeter square solar cell. The cell then converts the solar
energy into 70 watts of usable electrical power. The results have seen about five times the electrical power density of typical solar cells, using this concentrator technology in solar farms. ...
... "The trick lies in IBM's ability to cool the tiny solar cell. Concentrating the equivalent of 2000 suns on such a small area generates enough heat to melt stainless steel, something the researchers experienced first hand in their experiments. But by borrowing innovations from its own R&D in cooling computer chips, the team was able to cool the solar cell from greater than 1600 degrees Celsius to just 85 degrees Celsius. " ...Via IBM: Breakthrough In Solar Farm Technology
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May 07, 2008
Hospital Green DataCenter
IBM and Siemens team to offer hospitals and integrated technology solution that increases efficiency and improves energy efficiency. ...
... "As an additional benefit to the community, the highly reliable IBM BladeCenter Servers offer a proven open, easy and green technology that demands less energy and is easier and less costly to cool than other alternatives. " ...Via IBM: Solutions Help Community Hospitals Reduce Operating Costs
May 04, 2008
Energy Efficiency Certificates
IBM expands its energy certification program. ...
... "This program enables clients to measure their energy usage while earning energy efficiency certificates for reducing the energy used to run their data centers. The certificates earned -- based on energy use reduction verified by a certified third-party -- provide a way for businesses to attain a certified measurement of their energy use reduction, a key, emerging business metric. The certificates can be traded for cash on the growing energy efficiency certificate market or otherwise retained to demonstrate reductions in energy use and associated CO2 emissions. " ...Via IBM: Measure Green IT Progress
May 03, 2008
Excess Data Center Heat Heats Pool
One of the initatives of IBM's Project Big Green is to look for ways to resuce its' own energy needs and those of its clients.
"GIB-Services today announced a new energy efficient "green" data center ... will offer a first-of-its-kind energy model where a direct heat exchange will take place between the data center and a public swimming pool in the town."
"Located in Uitikon, Switzerland, ... is expected to create 2,800 MWh of wasted heat per year ... at full capacity -- the same amount of energy needed to supply up to 80 houses with heating and warm water for one year...."
"... Through reclaiming the heat, approximately 130 tons of carbon emissions can be saved. This corresponds to the carbon dioxide discharge of mid-size cars driving 500,000 miles."
Via: IBM Link
April 26, 2008
April 17, 2008
Intelligent Utility Network
Power network manager, Country Energy, collaborates with IBM on the creation of an Intelligent Network in Australia and joins the Intelligent Utility Network Coalition. The intelligence is expected to deliver energy savings through smart metering, a more efficient power network, use of remote diagnostics, network self-healing, and renewable energy storage and sharing. ...
... "An Intelligent Utility Network is a digital, open standards-based network of sensors, metering, communications, computer processors, and analytics which connects an entire utility company - from power plant to plug. These connected systems provide a utility with near real-time data and information to better manage the grid infrastructure, enabling fewer and shorter power outages, improved customer service, and the ability to source and deliver power more efficiently, including renewable energy. Country Energy is pursuing the Intelligent Network concept to improve reliability, support the growth of renewables like solar and wind, and make energy efficiency simpler for customers. " ...Via IBM: Address Carbon Emissions Through Development of Intelligent Network
April 01, 2008
Austria Green Data Center
IBM and kika/Leiner collaborate on the construction of a new energy efficient green data center, reducing electric power consumption by nearly 40 percent. kika/Leiner has centralized its computing architecture and serves its international locations from a single data center. ...
... "As kika/Leiner expands throughout central Europe and the Middle East, their need for information technology (IT) services has increased considerably. To meet this demand, the market-leading furniture retailer in Austria turned to IBM to design an energy efficient data center using new green technologies that are part of IBM's Project Big Green. The new data center is planned to begin operation in May. As kika/Leiner expands throughout central Europe and the Middle East, their need for information technology (IT) services has increased considerably. To meet this demand, the market-leading furniture retailer in Austria turned to IBM to design an energy efficient data center using new 'green' technologies that are part of IBM's Project Big Green. The new data center is planned to begin operation in May. " ...Via IBM: Austria's First Green Data Center at kika/Leiner
February 21, 2008
IBM Green IT Leadership
IBM is recognized as the 2008 Green IT Leader by Computerworld, after an analysis of the vendor field. ...
... "Computerworld editors developed a checklist-style survey and weighting scheme. Computerworld then reached out to the IT community through a variety of channels, and 86 complete surveys were received. Computerworld then contacted representatives at the participating companies to verify that the information provided on their company's survey was truthful and accurate. Only those companies that filed verification letters were considered. Based on the weighting scheme developed, the top 12 Green-IT Users and top 12 Green-IT Vendors lists were chosen. " ...Via IBM: Top Green IT Company
February 11, 2008
Green Data Center
IBM collaborates with Kalbe Pharmaceuticals to build energy efficient green data center as part of data center consolidation initiative. ...
... "A leading pharmaceutical and health company in Indonesia, Kalbe is teaming with IBM to deploy data center consolidation with an explicit goal of reducing energy consumption as well as reducing information technology (IT) maintenance and space in its own data center facilities across Jakarta. IBM will help Kalbe to consolidate five data centers from its current 13 existing data centers during the initial phase. In addition, IBM will install a green data center on a site of 5,048 square feet. " ...Via IBM: Green Data Center
January 14, 2008
Eco Patent Release Benefits Environment
IBM and other leading companies contribute innovative patents to the public domain to foster the development of new capabilities in energy efficiency, pollution prevention, environmentally friendly materials. and recycling. The intellectual property is being pledged to the Eco-Patent Commons administered by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The Council for Sustainable Development has assembled 200 international companies in a shared commitment to sustainable development. ...
... "Availability of these patents will encourage researchers, entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes in any industry to create, apply, and further develop their consumer or industrial products, processes, and services in a way that will help to protect and respect the environment. " ...Via IBM: Eco-Friendly Patents This video highlights innovative patents pledged by IBM. ...
December 11, 2007
IBM Solutions for Media Greens Hollywood
With the digitization of the media industry, computing requirements are growing which increases the industry's data center energy requirements. IBM targets the media and entertainment space with a committment to reduce energy consumption in the datacenter. ...
... "The company detailed its vision to help businesses that operate some of the world's largest, most powerful data centers -- with massive banks of computers that fuel special effects, animation and new, rich media entertainment -- significantly reduce the environmental impact of their IT operations and dramatically improve their bottom line by the end of the decade. " ...Via IBM: Green Hollywood
November 04, 2007
DataCenter Energy Efficiency Certification Program
IBM collaborates with Neuwing Energy Ventures to create energy efficiency certification for data center operations. The initiative allows for benchmarking, sharing, and recognition for the participants. The process requires establishing the baseline, implementing the improvements, and final verification before certification of the achievements. ...
... "The certificates earned -- based on energy use reduction verified by a third-party -- for the first time provide a way for businesses to attain a certified measurement of their energy use reduction, a key, emerging business metric. The certificates can be traded for cash on the growing energy efficiency certificate market or otherwise retained to demonstrate reductions in energy use and associated CO2 emissions. The Efficiency Certificates initiative engages Neuwing Energy Ventures, a leading verifier of energy efficiency projects and marketer of energy efficiency certificates, to document and verify the energy savings a client achieves through implementing energy efficiency projects. " ...
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October 30, 2007
IBM Processes Waste Silicon forSolar Industry
Video of IBM's innovative recycling process for waste silicon wafers. ...
Solar Silicon Supply Boosted by Wafer Recycling at IBM
IBM will recycle silicon wafers for use in solar photovoltaics panels after removing circuitry from the scrap materials. ...
... "Through this new reclamation process IBM is now able to more efficiently remove the intellectual property from the wafer surface, making these wafers available either for reuse in internal manufacturing calibration as monitor wafers or for sale to the solar cell industry, which must meet a growing demand for the same silicon material to produce photovoltaic cells for solar panels. When monitors wafers reach end of life they are sold to the solar industry. Depending on how a specific solar cell manufacturer chooses to process a batch of reclaimed wafers - they could save between 30 - 90% of the energy that they would have needed if they'd used a new silicon material source. These estimated energy savings translate into an overall reduction of the carbon footprint for both the Semiconductor and Solar industries. " ...
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October 16, 2007
Green Data Center Considers Energy Envelope for IBM Mainframe
IBM enables its mainframe customers to monitor and understand their data center systems energy consumption in real-time. IBM takes a holistic view of the energy envelope, considering power for operating the computers and cooling the data center. The company is also being open about typical operating energy consumption, using field data to generate a power efficiency index, like fuel efficiency in cars. ...
... "Here's how the metering system works: the new IBM solution monitors a mainframe's actual energy and cooling statistics (collected by internal sensors); and presents them in real time on the System Activity Display. With this system, a user can now correlate the energy consumed with work actually performed. When the machine reports its maintenance health on a weekly basis, the power statistics may be used. These statistics can be observed real time or also summarized for project or trend analysis. Energy consumption statistics are used for demonstrating cost savings toward electric rebates and programs to reduce data center energy consumption. A Power Estimator Tool is also available for future planning. It calculates how changes in system configurations and workloads can affect the entire energy envelope - including the power needed to both run and cool the machines. " ...
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