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The Next Step in Powering Computers

November 5, 2007

A report by Richard Hart of KGO-TV (ABC 7 in San Francisco) describes the expanding energy consumption of data centers — and how some large Silicon Valley companies are now building outside the area because they can't get enough electricity. The story features Berkeley Lab scientists Richard Brown and Bill Tschudi, both with the Environmental Energy Technologies Division, and includes details on an experiment at NERSC to develop more cost-effective ways to cool data centers. Possible options include direct current, huge fans installed in the floor of computers, and virtualization, which enables one computer to do the job of many servers. Go here to read this story.