Clarke Energy wins data centre brief

CLARKE Energy, the North West gas power generation specialist, has won a contract to supply a system to help Citi bank cut its energy costs at a new data centre.

In a £5m deal funded by the Government’s Green Investment Bank, the  financial services group will be able to cut its energy use by 10% at a data centre in London.

Knowsley-based Clarke Energy will install a GE Combined Cooling and Power (CCP) system alongside new energy efficient cooling units and efficiency improvements to the building’s air conditioning system.

The CCP system will generate 71% of the electricity needed to power the data centre and will also provide cooling for the servers housed in the data centre. Citi currently uses mains electricity from the National Grid and relies on back-up diesel generators.

Shaun Kingsbury, chief executive of the Green Investment Bank said:”The IT industry is one of the most energy intensive sectors globally, second only to aviation. Energy can represent up to 80% of the cost of running a data centre, so they provide an important opportunity for energy efficiency measures.

“I am pleased that we have been able to support the first energy efficiency project at a UK data centre and hope that this is the first of many such projects.”

The system is expected to be operational in te fourth quarter of 2015. As well as installation Clarke Energy will provide service and maintenance.

Jamie Clarke, chief executive Officer, Clarke Energy said: “This will be the first facility that Clarke Energy and GE have delivered in the UK at a data centre. Citi’s CCP facility will demonstrate the potential for energy, carbon and cost savings that can be delivered from high efficiency technology.”