Your plan should address technology components such as the efficiency of its servers (harware and software capability), placement, utlization and effectiveness of its cooling design.  There are a number of industry resources that provide benchmarks and solutions.

Here's what your process will look like:

Approval

Upon completion and submission of the DCIP Project Application, Toronto Hydro will review and if accepted, provide approval within five business days or request additional information if required.  Applicants are welcome to submit a project application for each and every project.

Measuring Electricity Savings

Each project will require a reference measurement before it begins and a measurement after it is completed. Some measures may be considered prescriptive, such as server virtualization, whose resulting kW and/or kWh savings can be determined based on accepted rules.  Other projects may require meter measurements to isolate and monitor the data centre load for a period spanning two weeks prior to the start of the project and two weeks after completion.  Toronto Hydro will perform both measurements at no cost and no significant disruption to ongoing operations.

Electricity savings can be as high as 30 per cent.  For every 100 kW of electricity consumption, a data centre could save more than $20,000 annually and could earn a $24,000 DCIP incentive (based on $800* 30kW peak kilowatt reduction).

Once the customer submits a Notice of Completion, Toronto Hydro will conduct a project evaluation and determine the actual peak kW and annual kWh reduction. The financial incentive will then be paid once the customer submits invoices of project costs and an invoice for the financial incentive to Toronto Hydro.

 

Managing Data Centre e-Waste

Toronto Hydro encourages all DCIP participants to take part in a waste diversion plan for data centre equipment that is made available for reuse, refurbishment, recycling or end-of-life.  Data centre equipment may contain material such as lead, cadmium and mercury, which if not handled properly, could have environmental impacts and cause health and safety concerns.

To ensure your unwanted data centre equipment is managed properly, be sure to engage your service provider or visit Do What You Can, a program run by the Ontario Electronic Stewardship to find a certified e-waste recycler near you.

Get Started Today!

There is no better time to start “greening” your data centre in Toronto. Projects may increase your operating efficiencies, increase electrical capacity, reduce equipment footprint, minimize environmental impact and reduce energy-waste. Toronto Hydro’s financial incentives not only enhance your ROI in Year 1, but lead to continual energy cost savings.