My only quibble (and it isn't with the article really at all), is that it's an enduring mystery why "biogas" is ever described as a "green" technology. Most of the biogas industry is ridiculously destructive to the environment as a whole while producing tiny amounts of expensive and sub-par petroleum products.
As someone who used to work for and supports Greenpeace, they are using Apple for fund raising headlines. No other company would be greater link bait. Their campaign against Apple has felt more like a political campaign than educational.
That's been clear from the start. Their estimate of 100 MW of power for this facility is so ridiculous that it's hard to believe they could seriously propose it.
Interesting. Greenpeace has so lost it on this one.
OT, what's with the stupid curves on the rack doors? Imagine how sick of that design you'd get working there. Why does everything have to have senseless curves in this design era? Who's doing these doors, the same outfit that does Hyundai taillights?
Where's the Steve Jobs equivalent in the design establishment?
I think that basically answer my question i have had for a long time. With the Margin Apple are getting on iPhones. And think iPhones users will one day get Free Backup instead of paying for iCloud Backup. All your Photos, Apps, will be backed up safely.
And this is one of those Big Bold move that others will take a hard time to catch up or justify doing the same. ( Google certainly wouldn't provide this free for Android, and Copysung even if they do, will take years to built out the DC )
One thing that they need to do is to enable a search feature for pre purchased apps in their app store. TO be able to search trough by typing into a search of the apps you have purchased. This is good for the consumer. I have six hundered or maybe a thousand apps how am i supposed to find or remember all of them at any given point so sometimes i find my self second guessing myself on whether i purchased an app or not because the app store seems like it doesnt indicate whether youve pre purchased an app until you actually commit to the putchase then a sign pops up stating that you have pre paid for the app. H?ow are you to know before making this purchase that i already own this app and have pre paid for it. This is the major flaw to the consumer if you ask me. You forget and sometimes you buy something you thought you already owned and make a mistake of paying for something you thought was free and pre paid for. Oh well.
What does this have to do with data centres?
"six hundered or maybe a thousand" is a pretty big band. Are you sure?
Great article AI! As an electrical engineer, I have worked on several LEED Gold projects and I have to commend Apple in getting a LEED Platinum rating which is very very hard to do. This only goes to show how out of touch Greenpeace really is. Their only interest is to spread FUD and to keep their name in the headlines by unjustly dragging Apple through the mud. It would never happen due to publicity reasons, but I wish Apple would sue Greenpeace for slagging their name. Maybe the threat of lawsuits would stop their crazy accusations.
Great article AI! As an electrical engineer, I have worked on several LEED Gold projects and I have to commend Apple in getting a LEED Platinum rating which is very very hard to do. This only goes to show how out of touch Greenpeace really is. Their only interest is to spread FUD and to keep their name in the headlines by unjustly dragging Apple through the mud. It would never happen due to publicity reasons, but I wish Apple would sue Greenpeace for slagging their name. Maybe the threat of lawsuits would stop their crazy accusations.
While I'd like to see it, it's not going to happen. The mainstream media would report it as Apple attacking environmental groups - and would then drag out every single incident where an Apple supplier might have had an environmental issue to paint Apple as the bad guy.
This is one reason I am proud to own Apple products. They know environmental concerns are important and they take action to be the best while considering the environment impact. Good job Apple. Regardless of what Greenpeace thinks, Apple is doing it right, as always.
Great article AI! As an electrical engineer, I have worked on several LEED Gold projects and I have to commend Apple in getting a LEED Platinum rating which is very very hard to do. This only goes to show how out of touch Greenpeace really is. Their only interest is to spread FUD and to keep their name in the headlines by unjustly dragging Apple through the mud. It would never happen due to publicity reasons, but I wish Apple would sue Greenpeace for slagging their name. Maybe the threat of lawsuits would stop their crazy accusations.
Spot on. I doubt that there are any other LEED Platinum data centers out there.
Add: Looks like there were 12 others around the world, as of 2012 (http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/leed-platinum-data-centers/). Interestingly, not one of those is by any of Apple's competitors (i.e., Google, Microsoft, HP, Dell, Samsung, Facebook, etc).
Spot on. I doubt that there are any other LEED Platinum data centers out there.
[SIZE=12px]Add: Looks like there were 12 others around the world, as of 2012 (http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/leed-platinum-data-centers/). Interestingly, not one of those is by any of Apple's competitors (i.e., Google, Microsoft, HP, Dell, Samsung, Facebook, etc).[/SIZE]
Pretty impressive. From the article you cite:
Apple’s 500,000 square foot “iDataCenter” is the largest facility to earn Platinum status. The company used 14 percent of recycled materials in its construction process, and diverted 93 percent of construction waste from landfills. Apple also sourced 41 percent of purchased materials within 500 miles of the Maiden site, which reduces the environmental impact from trucking materials over long distances. Apple recently revealed plans plans to build a 20-megawatt solar power facility to support its operations, along with a fuel cell powered by biogas that could generate up to 5 megawatts of power. The facility also uses a “free cooling” system that employs water-side economization, in which cool outside air is incorporated into a heat exchanger to supply cold water for the data center cooling systems. The company estimates that it will be apple to use the economizer system for about 75 percent of the year.
My only quibble (and it isn't with the article really at all), is that it's an enduring mystery why "biogas" is ever described as a "green" technology. Most of the biogas industry is ridiculously destructive to the environment as a whole while producing tiny amounts of expensive and sub-par petroleum products.
It's Bio-Gas, not Bio-fuels. Biogas is one of many biofuels. You are actually referring to others like Bioethanol, which are worse than Biogas.
In the current corn-to-ethanol production model in the United States, considering the total energy consumed by farm equipment, cultivation, planting, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides made from petroleum, irrigation systems, harvesting, transport of feedstock to processing plants, fermentation, distillation, drying, transport to fuel terminals and retail pumps, and lower ethanol fuel energy content, the net energy content value added and delivered to consumers is very small. And, the net benefit (all things considered) does little to reduce imported oil and fossil fuels required to produce the ethanol.
When biogas is used, many advantages arise. In North America, utilization of biogas would generate enough electricity to meet up to three percent of the continent's electricity expenditure. In addition, biogas could potentially help reduce global climate change. Normally, manure that is left to decompose releases two main gases that cause global climate change: nitrogen dioxide and methane. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) warms the atmosphere 310 times more than carbon dioxide and methane 21 times more than carbon dioxide. By converting cow manure into methane biogas via anaerobic digestion, the millions of cows in the United States would be able to produce one hundred billion kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power millions of homes across the United States. In fact, one cow can produce enough manure in one day to generate three kilowatt hours of electricity; only 2.4 kilowatt hours of electricity are needed to power a single one hundred watt light bulb for one day. Furthermore, by converting cow manure into methane biogas instead of letting it decompose, global warming gases could be reduced by ninety-nine million metric tons or four percent.
Spot on. I doubt that there are any other LEED Platinum data centers out there.
[SIZE=12px]Add: Looks like there were 12 others around the world, as of 2012 (http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/leed-platinum-data-centers/). Interestingly, not one of those is by any of Apple's competitors (i.e., Google, Microsoft, HP, Dell, Samsung, Facebook, etc).[/SIZE]
I couldn't find any information on Apple's PUE. I would suspect its comparable with Facebook, Google, and MS though.
Sorry, but what's a 'PUE', and how does it matter to a consumer or to the issue of renewable energy? (I am not a data center professional, hence the question).
Not a dig at Apple at all, just terminology, but doesn't calling biogas from landfill a renewable imply a commitment to continuing use of landfill? Doesn't seem very green :-/
Sorry, but what's a 'PUE', and how does it matter to a consumer or to the issue of renewable energy? (I am not a data center professional, hence the question).
Not a dig at Apple at all, just terminology, but doesn't calling biogas from landfill a renewable imply a commitment to continuing use of landfill? Doesn't seem very green :-/
What do you want to do with the stuff that is there already? And if/when more space for stuff opens up? Assuming the stuff in there can be recycled for useful purposes and there is no new net land use from having to put in landfills, what exactly is the issue that you see?
Sorry, but what's a 'PUE', and how does it matter to a consumer or to the issue of renewable energy? (I am not a data center professional, hence the question).
TS' post answers what it is. Basically its a measure of energy efficiency, the closer the PUE is to 1.0, the more efficiently the data center is using power. Currently, Facebook is the best at 1.07. Google is close behind at 1.14. The industry average is 1.8.
It has nothing to do with renewable energy (you can be super efficient while still on coal power). I just find it interesting that the most efficient data centers are not LEED platinum certified considering that energy efficiency is a big part of the certification.
Comments
Great article.
My only quibble (and it isn't with the article really at all), is that it's an enduring mystery why "biogas" is ever described as a "green" technology. Most of the biogas industry is ridiculously destructive to the environment as a whole while producing tiny amounts of expensive and sub-par petroleum products.
Yours is the silver-grey one, next to the silver-grey one, across from that grey one with the silver sheen.
You see it?
That's been clear from the start. Their estimate of 100 MW of power for this facility is so ridiculous that it's hard to believe they could seriously propose it.
Interesting. Greenpeace has so lost it on this one.
OT, what's with the stupid curves on the rack doors? Imagine how sick of that design you'd get working there. Why does everything have to have senseless curves in this design era? Who's doing these doors, the same outfit that does Hyundai taillights?
Where's the Steve Jobs equivalent in the design establishment?
I think that basically answer my question i have had for a long time. With the Margin Apple are getting on iPhones. And think iPhones users will one day get Free Backup instead of paying for iCloud Backup. All your Photos, Apps, will be backed up safely.
And this is one of those Big Bold move that others will take a hard time to catch up or justify doing the same. ( Google certainly wouldn't provide this free for Android, and Copysung even if they do, will take years to built out the DC )
Quote:
Originally Posted by ein999
One thing that they need to do is to enable a search feature for pre purchased apps in their app store. TO be able to search trough by typing into a search of the apps you have purchased. This is good for the consumer. I have six hundered or maybe a thousand apps how am i supposed to find or remember all of them at any given point so sometimes i find my self second guessing myself on whether i purchased an app or not because the app store seems like it doesnt indicate whether youve pre purchased an app until you actually commit to the putchase then a sign pops up stating that you have pre paid for the app. H?ow are you to know before making this purchase that i already own this app and have pre paid for it. This is the major flaw to the consumer if you ask me. You forget and sometimes you buy something you thought you already owned and make a mistake of paying for something you thought was free and pre paid for. Oh well.
What does this have to do with data centres?
"six hundered or maybe a thousand" is a pretty big band. Are you sure?
This is what you're looking for:
Great article AI! As an electrical engineer, I have worked on several LEED Gold projects and I have to commend Apple in getting a LEED Platinum rating which is very very hard to do. This only goes to show how out of touch Greenpeace really is. Their only interest is to spread FUD and to keep their name in the headlines by unjustly dragging Apple through the mud. It would never happen due to publicity reasons, but I wish Apple would sue Greenpeace for slagging their name. Maybe the threat of lawsuits would stop their crazy accusations.
While I'd like to see it, it's not going to happen. The mainstream media would report it as Apple attacking environmental groups - and would then drag out every single incident where an Apple supplier might have had an environmental issue to paint Apple as the bad guy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GadgetCanada
Great article AI! As an electrical engineer, I have worked on several LEED Gold projects and I have to commend Apple in getting a LEED Platinum rating which is very very hard to do. This only goes to show how out of touch Greenpeace really is. Their only interest is to spread FUD and to keep their name in the headlines by unjustly dragging Apple through the mud. It would never happen due to publicity reasons, but I wish Apple would sue Greenpeace for slagging their name. Maybe the threat of lawsuits would stop their crazy accusations.
Spot on. I doubt that there are any other LEED Platinum data centers out there.
Add: Looks like there were 12 others around the world, as of 2012 (http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/leed-platinum-data-centers/). Interestingly, not one of those is by any of Apple's competitors (i.e., Google, Microsoft, HP, Dell, Samsung, Facebook, etc).
From the rack hallway image it appears they are using a mixture of different cabinets, some air cooled and some liquid cooled in the same aisle.
Pretty impressive. From the article you cite:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Great article.
My only quibble (and it isn't with the article really at all), is that it's an enduring mystery why "biogas" is ever described as a "green" technology. Most of the biogas industry is ridiculously destructive to the environment as a whole while producing tiny amounts of expensive and sub-par petroleum products.
It's Bio-Gas, not Bio-fuels. Biogas is one of many biofuels. You are actually referring to others like Bioethanol, which are worse than Biogas.
Following excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofuel
In the current corn-to-ethanol production model in the United States, considering the total energy consumed by farm equipment, cultivation, planting, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides made from petroleum, irrigation systems, harvesting, transport of feedstock to processing plants, fermentation, distillation, drying, transport to fuel terminals and retail pumps, and lower ethanol fuel energy content, the net energy content value added and delivered to consumers is very small. And, the net benefit (all things considered) does little to reduce imported oil and fossil fuels required to produce the ethanol.
Now check
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biogas
The Benefits section:
When biogas is used, many advantages arise. In North America, utilization of biogas would generate enough electricity to meet up to three percent of the continent's electricity expenditure. In addition, biogas could potentially help reduce global climate change. Normally, manure that is left to decompose releases two main gases that cause global climate change: nitrogen dioxide and methane. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) warms the atmosphere 310 times more than carbon dioxide and methane 21 times more than carbon dioxide. By converting cow manure into methane biogas via anaerobic digestion, the millions of cows in the United States would be able to produce one hundred billion kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power millions of homes across the United States. In fact, one cow can produce enough manure in one day to generate three kilowatt hours of electricity; only 2.4 kilowatt hours of electricity are needed to power a single one hundred watt light bulb for one day. Furthermore, by converting cow manure into methane biogas instead of letting it decompose, global warming gases could be reduced by ninety-nine million metric tons or four percent.
(emphasis added)
Interestingly, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft run some of the most efficient data centers in the world with PUEs at around 1.1 (http://gigaom.com/2012/03/26/whose-data-centers-are-more-efficient-facebooks-or-googles/)
I couldn't find any information on Apple's PUE. I would suspect its comparable with Facebook, Google, and MS though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by majjo
Interestingly, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft run some of the most efficient data centers in the world with PUEs at around 1.1 (http://gigaom.com/2012/03/26/whose-data-centers-are-more-efficient-facebooks-or-googles/)
I couldn't find any information on Apple's PUE. I would suspect its comparable with Facebook, Google, and MS though.
Sorry, but what's a 'PUE', and how does it matter to a consumer or to the issue of renewable energy? (I am not a data center professional, hence the question).
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
Sorry, but what's a 'PUE', and how does it matter to a consumer or to the issue of renewable energy? (I am not a data center professional, hence the question).
I'd guess this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crowley
Not a dig at Apple at all, just terminology, but doesn't calling biogas from landfill a renewable imply a commitment to continuing use of landfill? Doesn't seem very green :-/
What do you want to do with the stuff that is there already? And if/when more space for stuff opens up? Assuming the stuff in there can be recycled for useful purposes and there is no new net land use from having to put in landfills, what exactly is the issue that you see?
TS' post answers what it is. Basically its a measure of energy efficiency, the closer the PUE is to 1.0, the more efficiently the data center is using power. Currently, Facebook is the best at 1.07. Google is close behind at 1.14. The industry average is 1.8.
It has nothing to do with renewable energy (you can be super efficient while still on coal power). I just find it interesting that the most efficient data centers are not LEED platinum certified considering that energy efficiency is a big part of the certification.