Future Resource Engineering (FRE), a specialist in data center operational and power optimization, has released a new white paper which details the five steps to creating a data center efficiency plan.

The white paper, Creating a Data Center Efficiency Plan: Challenges & Steps to Creating an Effective and Impactful Energy Efficiency Plan, provides data center owners and operators with an extensive blueprint that outlines required steps, offers solutions to common data center energy challenges, analyzes what information is relevant when determining savings, and identifies the factors to consider when determining a project’s Return on Investment (ROI).

FRE says the new white paper examines how to create a data center energy efficiency plan by condensing the process into five easily understood steps, allowing data center operators to realize immediate savings to operational costs with little to no downtime.

As stated by the paper’s executive summary, “The focus of every data center manager is uptime and reliability, although significant time is spent on other important tasks: capacity planning, responding to customer requests and resolving equipment issues. This often leaves little time for efficiency improvements that can yield significant cost savings. At the same time, the growing power consumption of data centers has sparked numerous efforts to save energy throughout the industry.However, every facility is different, each requiring its own customized plan that addresses: 1.) Potential efficiency opportunities; 2.) Costs; 3.) Savings and available incentives; 4.) Equipment strategies; and 5.) Payback requirements.”

The firm contends that the new white paper is being released at a crucial time, as “data centers are one of the largest and fastest growing consumers of electricity in the United States, consuming an estimated 90 billion KWh in 2013.” This figure is forecasted to reach 140 billion KWh by 2020, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The white paper concludes that “it is not uncommon to find 1 million KWh of energy savings in a single efficiency project” at a small to midsized data center, and that “an efficiency project’s ROI can often be achieved within two years or less with careful planning and utilization of utility incentives.”

“Given the tremendous amount of power used by data centers, energy efficiency has become a critically important issue,” comments Chris Pullen, president of Future Resource Engineering. “Whether done to reduce costs or as part of a larger efficiency plan, the steps outlined in this white paper will help ensure that data center operators meet savings expectations, avoid mistakes, and achieve the best possible outcome.”

Download the complimentary white paper here.