Barclay's Bank has admitted that following a review of its UK data center's future energy requirements, it is now highly unlikely' to be able to meet its overall energy reduction targets between 2007-2010. Greater than predicted growth is blamed for this admission, which is carried in the Bank's Corporate Responsibility Report 2006.
As the report states: Compared with the rest of our buildings and branches, the energy needs of our data centers are very different. Because their requirements are so much higher, we intend to split the data centers out from the main energy reduction target, and during 2007 we will be identifying a separate performance target for them - possibly million instructions per second'. This will help us monitor how efficient our data centers are in processing and storing electronic data, which is their core business activity. Separate reporting will also enable outside observers to understand the energy performance of our conventional offices and buildings, and assess whether these are being managed in an energy-efficient way. Data centers are, of course, still part of our overall CO2 reduction and carbon intensity targets.'
Earlier in 2007, the Bank made a renewable energy purchase that will reduce its carbon footprint by up to 125,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year - the equivalent to the emissions produced by 19,000 homes in the UK in the course of a year.
Starting in April 2007, 50 percent of Barclays UK electricity consumption will come from renewable sources, compared to three percent previously, according to the company. Barclays UK offices including its Canary Wharf headquarters and major UK branches will be powered solely by renewable energy. Under the terms of the contract, Barclays will buy approximately 300GWh of renewable energy per year for the next three years from EDF Energy.
"This three-year contract with EDF Energy is an important milestone which will help us to significantly reduce our carbon footprint, said Andrew Flett, head of environmental management. "However, the greenest form of energy is the energy you don't use and working to reduce our overall energy consumption remains our priority.