Green Computing: Energy/Thermal Management of Data Centers

Free Full-day workshop was held as part of the 2025 IEEE I&CPS Conference.

Please register through the conference’s registration page directly. To attend the workshop only, and not the rest of the conference, please select “IN PERSON – Green Computing/Student Tutorial only” and your registration will be free. If you choose the virtual attendance option, please contact the organizers to request the Zoom meeting link.

Registered Participants: Please help the moderators prepare by filling out this quick questionnaire prior to the start of the workshop:

The SusTech Initiative provides free breakfast, breaks, and lunch to all registered workshop attendees.

The workshop was held on Monday, 12 May and will start at 8 AM EDT (UTC-4) in Opus 1, Ballroom 1. Please see below for the latest program information. If any information conflicts with postings on the I&CPS conference website, this page is the most recently updated.

Attendees who participate in the workshop during the entire day, whether in person or remotely, can request to be granted 8 Professional Development Hours (PDH) upon submitting a short survey form. Printed copies of the form will be available at the workshop and can be returned in person at the end of the day. Electronic copies are downloadable here and can be returned by email.

Download the PDH Evaluation Form (PDF, 76 KB)

Program Grid:

Presentation Topics and Speakers:

Talk Title: Sustainability in Digital Storage and Memory

Abstract: Digital storage and memory play a key role in providing the data used in training AI training and inference. As the use of AI and other data intensive applications grows, so does the demand for digital storage and memory. In this talk I will discuss the development of an IEEE standard to enable reuse of storage devices and activities to recover valuable components at the end of life. I will also explore the e-Liability initiative in IEEE SA to create methodology and certification of the carbon content in a supply chain and recent data on the embedded carbon content in digital storage technologies.

Tom Coughlin, President, Coughlin Associates, North America

Tom Coughlin, President, Coughlin Associates is a digital storage analyst and business/ technology consultant. He has over 40 years in the data storage industry with engineering and senior management positions. Coughlin Associates consults, publishes books and market and technology reports and puts on digital storage and memory-oriented events. He is a regular contributor for forbes.com and M&E organization websites. He is an IEEE Fellow, 2025 IEEE Past President, Past-President IEEE-USA, Past Director IEEE Region 6 and Past Chair Santa Clara Valley IEEE Section, and is also active with SNIA and SMPTE. For more information on Tom Coughlin go to www.tomcoughlin.com.

Talk Title: Sustainable Generative AI: Balancing Innovation and Environmental Impact

Abstract: Generative AI is transforming industries, but its environmental footprint is significant. This session explores the challenges and solutions for making Gen AI sustainable, including optimizing infrastructure and using renewable energy. Learn how to advance technology responsibly.

Franco Amalfi, Director Sustainability Strategic Initiatives and partners, North America

Franco is a sustainability expert and digital transformation thought leader with over 25 years of experience. He is the Director of Sustainability Strategic Initiatives at Capgemini North America, working with partners to bring innovative sustainability solutions to market. Previously, Franco was Head of Sustainability Strategy at Google Cloud, launching global climate insights offerings. He advises executives on technology strategies to deliver business value. Franco graduated from McGill University and completed an Advanced Certificate for Executives at MIT Sloan.

Talk Title: Collaborative Operation for Geo-Distributed Data Centers Towards Green Computing

Abstract: With the growing digitalization of the economy and society, the scale of energy consumption in cloud computing is continuously expanding. Given the inherent flexibility of computing jobs, geo-distributed cloud data centers can dynamically schedule jobs across time and locations with higher renewable energy generation, reducing operation costs and enhancing clean energy utilization. However, achieving efficient and privacy-preserving coordination among heterogeneous data centers remains a critical challenge. In this work, we investigate collaborative operation scheme for geo-distributed cloud data centers to enhance clean energy utilization. We first introduce the spatiotemporal scheduling flexibility of computing jobs and common energy management strategies in data centers. To address privacy concerns and system heterogeneity in collaborative operations across cloud data centers, we propose a personalized federated reinforcement learning scheme. It enables cooperative job scheduling and resource allocation while dynamically adapting to fluctuations in renewable energy generation, ultimately contributing to the development of a more sustainable and energy-efficient cloud infrastructure.

Zhaohao Ding, Professor, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China

Zhaohao Ding (Senior Member, IEEE) is a Professor at North China Electric Power University, Beijing, China. His research focuses on power systems, power markets and distributed resource management. He received IEEE IAS Andrew W. Smith Outstanding Young Member Achievement Award in 2022 and IEEE IAS Outstanding Young Member Service Award in 2020. He is an Editor of IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid and IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

Panel Discussion: Data Center Challenges and Opportunities

Panel Members: Mr. Keith Walter, Mr. Bill Brown, Mr. Franco Amalfi, and Mr. Daleep Mohla

Daleep Mohla, Registered Professional Engineer, Texas, USA

Daleep Mohla has been involved with IEEE Standards for more than four decades. He was the Chair of the IAS Standards Department from 2017 to 2022 and is a member of the IEEE Standards Association Standards Board. Currently, he is the Chair of the I&CPS Standards Development Committee. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.

Preliminary list of topics to be discussed:

1. Types of Data Centers
2. Core Component of the Data Center
3. Operation of Data Centers
4. Power Consumption Pattern of the Data Center
   • Energy Management of the Data Center
     1. Source
     2. Strategies for Optimization
   • Thermal Management of the Data Center
     1. Efficient Cooling System
     2. Heat Reuse and Recycling (Thermal Storage, Heat Pump, etc)
5. Grid Disturbances and Ride Through Capability of the Data Center
   1. Frequency and Voltage Ride Through Requirement
   2. Applicable Standards to Guide the Data Center Response During Disturbance (IEEE Std. 1547, IEC 62040-3, etc)
   3. Applicability of the ITI (Information Technology Industry Council) Curve, also known as the CBEMA (Computer Business Equipment Manufacturers Association) Curve to Data Center Response During Disturbance
   4. Testing and Validation Standards for Voltage and Frequency Ride Through of the Data Center
   5. Reconnection of the Converter Based Load
   6. The need for Standards
6. Strategies, and challenges in building and operating a Net Zero Carbon Emission Data Center
   1. Energy Efficiency Improvements
   2. Carbon Offsetting and Carbon Capture
   3. 100% Renewable Energy Sourcing
   4. Energy Storage and Backup Power
   5. Circular Economy and Sustainable Materials
   6. Sustainable Water and Heat Management
   7. Road map for a Net Zero Carbon Emission Data Center