High Tech Energy Efficiency Projects Funded Here – Data Center Energy Efficiency Grant 4.0

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) launches the fourth cycle of our Data Center Energy Efficiency Grant Program (DCEEG)

Initially launched in October of 2016, the MEA DCEEG is the first of its kind program in the U.S., advocating energy efficiency measures for data centers from a state energy office. This program improves the energy efficiency of data centers and builds the public/private relationship. The grant provides funding on a competitive basis to encourage the implementation of cost-effective energy efficiency technologies in data centers throughout the State. The application deadline for this new cycle is January 10, 2020.

DCEEG was named as a finalist for a 2018 Global Data Center Award, presented by DatacenterDynamics, an international business-to-business media and publishing company. Maryland’s DCEEG was selected from over 200 global entries as a finalist in the Industry Initiative of the Year category.

MEA was only one of 6 US organizations recognized and the only state energy office nominated for the 2018 Global Data Center Award

Proposed DCEEG projects must result in the reduction of energy usage within a data center through cost-effective energy efficiency measures. The competitive grant is open to any commercial or state/local government data center located within the State of Maryland with an overall facility size of at least 2,000 square feet. Grant awards range from $20,000 to $200,000 per eligible project, subject to funding availability. Grants are designed to cover up to 50% of the net customer cost (up to $200,000) for innovative and cost-effective energy efficiency solutions. Eligible efficiency measures include (but are not limited to) server virtualization, air flow 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.

To date, 12 data centers in Maryland have been awarded grants through the MEA’s program resulting in over 10,000 MWh of potential electricity reductions or, enough energy savings to power 1,000 homes for an entire year. The success of this program is linked to the strong partnership between the state and the data center industry.

The University of Maryland is a past DCEEG awardee who used their grant funds to replace a data center cooling system that  reduced the HVAC energy costs at that location by over 45%.

Applications for grants are due to MEA by 11:59 pm, January 10, 2020. Additional information about the program, including the application, can be found here.