Jun 6 2008
To reduce its power consumption and energy costs and shrink its carbon footprint, Verizon has established its own energy-consumption standards and an associated measurement process for new telecommunications-related equipment. The standards will be applied to certain broadband, video, data-center, network and customer-premises equipment purchased after Jan. 1, 2009. The target provided to the manufacturers of such equipment is 20 percent greater efficiency than today's gear.
"This is similar to a consumer buying appliances according to the standardized ENERGY STAR (R) efficiency levels," said Mark Wegleitner, senior vice president-corporate network and technology. "However, in most cases, an ENERGY STAR-type rating system did not exist for the equipment we buy, so we set up our own standards and measurement process to create an effective program.
"We want to reduce our energy usage and do our part to improve the environment," he said. "We're proud to be leading the industry with this initial, important step, and invite others to use these standards so the cumulative effect is increased."
Verizon established a series of Telecommunications Equipment Energy Efficiency Ratings based on formulas that test the consumption of equipment in various operating conditions and settings. Test data are entered into formulas developed for each type of equipment, which will indicate whether or not they achieve the target rating.
Equipment to be tested and rated includes optical and video transport systems, switches and routers, DSLAM high-speed internet equipment and optical line termination gear, as well as switching power systems, data center servers and power adapters that operate customer equipment.
"The Verizon network requires power costing hundreds of millions of dollars annually to provide the most advanced services available anywhere in the world," Wegleitner said. "The energy dollars are well spent, as the network supports consumers and businesses in dynamic new ways. For example, our customers engage in energy-efficient activities like videoconferencing and e-commerce every day over our network.
"Aside from the potential cost reductions involved, as a responsible corporate citizen, we want to be part of the drive toward greater energy efficiency," he said. "Part of our plan to accomplish this is to request our suppliers' help in meeting our conservation goals."
The requirements incorporate new applications of existing methodologies as outlined in SPECpower_ssj2008TM and the Energy Star programs combined with some innovative Verizon-led concepts and methods of measurement. The concepts and measurement methods have been submitted for consideration by appropriate standards bodies, such as ATIS' Network Interface, Power and Protection Committee (NIPP).