Datacentre power services specialist Comtec Power is to begin work on a new "model" datacentre designed to demonstrate to IT and facilities managers how new power supply and cooling technologies can reduce costs and slash IT department's environmental impact.

The new 3,000 square foot facility is expected to be ready early next year and will feature a range of different energy-efficient technologies from datacentre infrastructure vendors, including APC, Chloride, Emerson and MGE.

Specifically, Nick Claxson, managing director at Comtec Power, said the new site would deploy the company's new Datacentre Eco-Structure best practice framework and feature In Row Cooling technology estimated to be 35 percent more energy efficient than traditional air conditioning; intelligent Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) systems that limit waste power; and new Hydrogen-based fuel cell technology from APC that replaces business continuity generators and promises no carbon emissions.

"A lot of IT managers don’t believe these levels of energy efficiency can be achieved," he said. "So we think there are real benefits in showing these technologies working in anger."
Separately, the vendor is also campaigning to raise the profile of government tax breaks that are currently available for energy-efficient datacentre equipment.

Under the scheme, a number of products on the Carbon Trust's list of energy-efficient technologies also qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowance, a tax break permitting companies to deduct 100 percent of their capital expenditure on the technology and installation costs against taxable profits.