IBM offers to cut energy consumption by half

New Delhi, June 8: With India reeling under energy crisis, leading computer manufacturer IBM today launched products and services that will save energy consumption (data centre) by almost half.

''It will help India as it is already facing an energy crisis with shortage of nearly nine per cent, with peak load deficits being higher at 10-11 per cent at current annual generation capacity of 1,30,000 MW,'' said IBM Country Manager (eServer pSeries) Jyothi Satyanathan.

IBM will redirect one billion dollars every year to mobilise its resources to increase the energy efficiecy in IT. The initiative under the banner 'Project Big Green' will help customers in cost saving and serve as a social solution to energy crisis, said Mr Satyanathan.

IT energy spending in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow by 52 per cent to reach 162.5 billion dollars by 2010.

For 25,000 square foot data centre that spends 2.6 million dollars in power annually, energy costs can be reduced by half.

The products can also protect the environment by reducing emissions equivalent to 1,300 automobiles taken off the road, he said.

The company's can cover the cost of implementing these products and services in the next two to three years by saving almost half of the energy consumption by data centers, he added.

IBM Vice President (Site and Facilities Services) Steven Sams said, ''Businesses around the world are using over 100 billion kilowatts of energy per year through their use of information technology.'' In 2007, there will be 10 billion dollars spent on data centre energy worldwide and IDC predicts that power and cooling spend in the data centre will grow at eight times the rate of hardware products.

UNI