IBM is rolling out the first solar power array designed especially for high-voltage data centres.

The array, which is installed on the 560 m² roof of IBM’s India Software Lab in Bangalore, can provide up to 50 kW electricity for up to five hours a day.

The set-up also uses DC computer servers and water cooling – instead of AC servers and air conditioning – to reduce the actual energy consumption of the data centre by around 10%.

IBM says the approach could allow companies in emerging markets, where electricity supply can be undependable, to set up data centres powered by solar panels instead of diesel generators.

The set-up in Bangalore is the first to put solar-power, water-cooling and power-conditioning into a ‘snap-together’ package suitable for data centres, says IBM.

“The technology behind solar power has been around for many years, but until now, no one has engineered it for efficient use in IT,” says Rod Adkins of IBM’s systems and technology group. “'We’ve designed a solar solution to bring a new source of clean, reliable and efficient power to energy-intensive, industrial-scale electronics.”

For further information:
www.ibm.com

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