Google's Bill Weihl gave an update on ICT sustainability at Green:Net 2010 iin April. Livestream has posted the video; here the items I found useful. (Time location in video for each item is in parentheses in mm:ss format.)

Helsingin Energia (Helsinki Energy) uses the graphic on left to illustrate how it harnesses seasonal climate cycles to provide district cooling. Now, its applying this approach to cool the "world’s most eco-efficient computer hall" (data center), as illustrated on right. Nordic Energy Solutions reports that the data center "has the capacity to heat 500 large single-family houses." Helsingin Energia tells me that its ISP partner in the project, Academica, expects to have the center operational in May 2010.

Municipal heating/cooling districts are most common in northern Europe, but this model could be implemented at universities and government complexes in North America, many of which which have both large ICT infrastructures and campus-wide heating/cooling systems.

More on unique approaches to data center cooling.

Data centers are thirsty creatures just by virtue of the energy they consume. "The national weighted average for thermoelectric and hydroelectric water use is 2.0 gal (7.6 L) of evaporated water per kWh of electricity consumed at the point of end use," says the National Renewable Energy Lab. This means that a 5000 square foot, 1000 kW data center could be responsible for an annual consumption of over 17 million gallons of water just for its electricity. And then there is the water for cooling.

Recent posts have covered the attraction of locations that offer renewable energy, typically a combination of hydroelectric power and free air cooling from a temperate/cold climate. But about data centers in hot climates? The question provides a good opportunity to check in on solar power.

Handling our gear's heat has always been an issue for installations large and small. ICT equipment typical took 1x-2x again more energy to remove its heat as it took to power it in the first place (PUE of 2.0+), driving both energy costs and carbon footprints. Early efforts focused on the two obvious tactics: make both the gear and the air conditioning more efficient. We now see totally new approaches to the problem coming online.

Repurposing military facilities into green data centers appears to be a growing trend in Europe. We recently noted a Swiss data center built in an old military bunker and an Icelandic facility in a decommissioned NATO base. Now Sweden offers another variation on this theme: an underground data center with a Cold War pedigree.

Location is becoming increasingly important to the Green Data Center marketplace. I've previously noted the popularity of the Columbia River Valley for mega data centers due to its inexpensive and low-carbon hydroelectricity, its climate for cooling, and its fiber optic infrastructure. An Icelandic data center is now putting location front and center in its promotion.

Broadcast Engineering reports that WPEC-TV achieved a considerable reduction in energy consumption by lighting its two HD news sets with LEDs.

A datacenter built by IBM Switzerland for GIB-Solutions AG, announced in 2008 and completed in 2009, incorporates a number of innovative features.

Our recent post containing information about Green ICT issues at universities generated a lot of interest. Here is another insight: it is laboratory facilities themselves, not the gear in them, that are the big energy consumers on campuses.