Providing the best in web hosting energy efficiency

8th Dec 2023

Green Hosting is powered 100% by renewable energy and has been for many years. A recent upgrade also means that we provide the very best in web hosting energy efficiency too.

Why is it important for renewable energy to be used efficiently?

You might be wondering, if we only use 100% renewable sources (wind, sun, sea) to power our servers and not fossil fuels, why is energy efficiency so important?

We feel that it’s not just important, it is vital. Only using as much power as you need, reducing waste and most of all designing systems that require less power reduces the demand on the precious natural resources and the infrastructure that supplies it. This in turn can allow for more widespread use and potentially lower future energy costs. For us, it always comes back to being part of a wider movement for positive change, for people and the planet.

How does it work?

The data centre that houses the Green Hosting servers have achieved a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.05, making it one of the most efficient data centres in the world. Until recently, we could boast the excellent PUE of 1.2 but 1.05 is so much better!

This level of efficiency is achieved due to the data centre’s design and build. Firstly, to keep the very hot servers cool, it employs ‘evaporative cooling’ which works by running air and water via EcoCooling units. Simply put, outside cool air is passed through water, which evaporates and makes the air even cooler. On cold days (which are common in the UK), the water isn’t even needed and on hot days it can handle the strain. This type of cooling uses no refrigeration or harmful chemicals, just nature’s own air and water. In addition, the data centre operates ‘cold aisle containment’ which ensures that the hot air produced by the servers and the cooled air are kept separate, meaning the cooling process isn’t affected and energy isn’t wasted.

That’s not all. We have even more to look forward to; During 2024-2025 the data centre has plans to add its own roof mounted solar panel array, providing additional on-site renewable energy. We will keep you updated on this as it happens. Find out more about the data centre that houses Green Hosting.