Mandatory CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme: Is your organisation prepared?
In April 2010, large UK-based public and private sector organisations will be affected by a compulsory emissions trading scheme that is central to the UK’s strategy for improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.
IT Managers across the board are expected to have their work cut out to reduce emissions and increase the efficiency of IT systems pending parliamentary approval of the legislation.
At a time when many businesses are battling to reduce carbon emissions and introduce more environmentally friendly measures, the new CRC legislation will raise further awareness in large organisations to encourage changes in business behaviour and infrastructure.
As the running of IT hardware alone can account for a significant portion of a business’s overall energy usage, IT departments in particular will be under pressure to reduce their systems’ energy usage whilst maintaining a uniform level of system performance.
Between 1st April and 30th September 2010, UK-based organisations must either register as a CRC participant or disclose the company’s 2008 electricity consumption. If half-hourly metred electricity usage is over a stipulated level, the organisation will qualify for the scheme.
The legislation will be policed by the Environment Agency, who will undertake desk-based and on-site audits depending on requirement.
More information can be found at: http://www.decc.gov.uk
Where can I get help to improve my organisation’s energy performance?
The Department of Energy and Climate Change suggests that help to devise a carbon-abatement strategy should be sought from either The Carbon Trust or Salix.
A number of useful case studies detailing how organisations such as B&Q and Bristol City Council have prepared for the scheme are provided at: http://www.decc.gov.uk
Where can I get help from an IT perspective?
There are a number of ways in which energy efficiency can be improved across IT systems through better use of hardware, software and database technologies.
As database specialists, Xynomix naturally focus on the hardware and database technologies that can be used to achieve CRC compliance.
Oracle database users in particular have many technologies available that can be utilised to help prepare for the new legislation:
- Oracle virtualisation and clustering technologies can reduce the amount of hardware required to run large volume, reliable data centres
[Oracle VM can be downloaded free of charge here: http://edelivery.oracle.com/oraclevm]
- Compression, partitioning, virtualization and server consolidation allows organisations to save energy, meet corporate environment responsibilities and cut system management and storage costs
- Oracle WebLogic based Application Grids improve runtime infrastructure pooling and allocation, and improve the deployment of physical resources
- System upgrades can include more energy efficient servers and storage, reducing emissions and energy usage costs
- Hosted Disaster Recovery solutions can halve the amount of hardware required to securely backup entire IT systems
The list goes on…
Please Contact Us for more information on reducing energy usage throughout your IT systems
For more information on the CRC scheme, visit: http://www.decc.gov.uk
