Google has become the first company in North America to obtain a multi-site ISO 50001 certification for the energy management system covering its corporate data center operations and six US data centers.
ISO 50001 aims to support organizations in all sectors to use energy more efficiently, through the development of an energy management system.
Google data centers in the following US locations have received the ISO 50001 certification:
ISO 50001 is built around a "plan-do-check-act" concept. Google says that the concept ensures a strong energy policy; the implementation of sound processes that strengthen the EMS; a robust auditing program with continual monitoring, assessment, and response to its energy efficiency results.
Based on the requirements in the standard, Google developed an EMS that it says makes sense for its energy culture - this means continuously challenging energy performance goals, continuing to improve upon energy efficient data center designs, and developing progressive monitoring systems.
The tech giant plans to expand its current certification to include our European data centers in the coming months.
Click here to view a video on the certification.
Wind farm developer O2 obtained planning approval to build a new 72 MW wind farm in northern Sweden, using 3 MW wind turbines. Google has committed to buying the entire output of that wind farm for 10 years to power its Finnish data center. O2 has secured 100 percent financing for the construction of the wind farm from the investment arm of German insurance company Allianz, which will assume ownership when the wind farm becomes operational in early 2015.
