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Story URL: http://hardware.silicon.com/servers/0,39024647,39167711,00.htm

Photos: Unearthing the zero-carbon data centre
Going greener underground...

By Gemma Simpson

Published: Tuesday 03 July 2007

Managed services provider Centrinet has launched what it claims is the UK's first data centre that has zero carbon emissions.

The data centre has been built 100 metres underground in a former-RAF radar station. The so-called Smartbunker's zero carbon branding simply means all the power it uses comes from UK-based wind farms.

The Smartbunker houses blade servers and, because it escapes the sun's rays, it also requires less power for cooling purposes during the summer months.

Kelly Smith, managing director of Smartbunker, told silicon.com: "Whilst we're using zero carbon energy, which is more expensive for us to buy in the first place, by offsetting that power usage with more efficient servers and reduced cooling, we do not pass on those additional costs to our customers."

Smith said: "If you are carbon offsetting you are just using power and paying someone to plant a tree to replace the carbon elsewhere."

He added: "What we are saying is first of all use less power and of the power you have to use don't carbon offset it but use zero carbon power."

Pictured is the view down into the data centre bunker.

Photo credit: Gemma Simpson