Analysis of performance metrics for data center efficiency : should the Power Utilization Effectiveness PUE still be used as the main indicator? (Part 2)

Previous research posed that PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) does not always reflect the real energy performance of data centers. This is because PUE does not show performance regarding IT efficiency, water usage, heat recovery, on-site energy generation or carbon impact. Broadening the scope of performance assessment beyond PUE has therefore been proposed by including these subjects. Using a simulation study, this paper shows the potential of finding energy efficiency measures beyond the scope of PUE by using complementary metrics. In this way, a heat reuse potential of 11-15% of the total energy use is found for a 1MW data center in Killarney. It also shows a 4% energy impact reduction for a roof sized PV-system in Sevilla as well as the potential and challenges accompanying the implementation of larger PV-systems. To better evaluate the efficiency of on-site generation the GUE (Grid Usage Effectiveness) metric is introduced. By broadening the scope of data center energy performance assessment, the next step energy efficiency improvement can be taken and the industry can take environmental responsibility by reducing its energy footprint