The State of Maryland today announced that the Data Center Energy Efficiency Grant Program (DCEEG) has entered its third cycle. The program, which the state claims is the first of its kind in the United States, provides funding on a competitive basis to “encourage the implementation of cost-effective energy efficiency technologies in data centers throughout the state,” according to the state’s Energy Administration.
“Data centers are modern economic drivers and are creating high-paying jobs,” said Mary Beth Tung, director of the Maryland Energy Administration. “However, data centers are also major energy users. By partnering with and investing in data centers, Maryland can help reduce energy usage, improve competitiveness, and drive innovation.”
To qualify for the grant’s pilot program, the data center must be located within the state of Maryland and must have an overall facility size of at least 2,000 square feet, both commercial and state/local government data centers are eligible. According to a press release, grant awards will range from $20,000 to $200,000 per eligible project. The state intends for the grants to cover up to 50 percent of the net customer cost for “innovative and cost-effective” energy efficiency solutions.
The Energy Administration explained that “eligible efficiency measures include (but are not limited to) server virtualization, airflow optimization, aisle containment, lighting, controls, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), motors and variable frequency drives, heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) upgrades, and building insulation and envelope improvements.” Thus far, nine data centers have been awarded grants through the program.
