DOE Releases Enhanced Software Tool for Data Centers: DC Pro Version 1.0 Now Available

October 1, 2008

The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) has just released the Data Center Energy Profiler, or DC Pro, Version 1.0. This online software tool can help industries worldwide quickly "diagnose" how energy is being used by their computer data centers and identify opportunities to save energy and money. Development of DC Pro is one of the activities of DOE’s Save Energy Now initiative, a national drive to reduce industrial energy intensity 25 percent by 2017.

The release of DC Pro addresses increasing energy consumption among U.S. data centers as the demand for the services they provide also increases. Current trends suggest that data center energy use will continue to grow by 12% per year. To help curb data center energy use, Save Energy Now is working with businesses and industry to reduce data center energy use 10 percent by 2011.

DC Pro Is a First Step to Savings in Your Data Center

Your company can use DC Pro as a first step to identify potential savings and to reduce environmental emissions associated with energy production and use. In the last three months, the beta version of DC Pro was tested by 610 users, with input on how to improve the tool from many companies, including feedback from 11 Green Grid Association member companies. Many of the recommendations received from beta testers have been integrated into Version 1.0. These enhanced features include:

Online tutorial
Enhanced user interface
Answers to frequently asked questions through "Tool-Tips"
Ability to create a PDF Report of the results
Customize the source energy factor to account for electricity produced from cogeneration, renewable sources, etc.
Easier formats to enter Data Center input energy streams

Using DC Pro and information about your data center, you can complete a basic profile in about an hour. The tool provides an overview of your company's energy purchases, data center energy use, savings potential, and a list of specific actions you can take to realize these savings.

Learn more and download DC Pro Version 1.0 free of charge from Save Energy Now’s Data Center Web site. Here, you can also find out more about DOE’s partnership efforts to improve the efficiency of data centers, and sign up to receive updates and information about this initiative.

For more information, contact DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Center, or call 1-877-337-3463.