Looking for a way to take a bite out of your computer power consumption? EPA’s latest Energy Star program could help you find more efficient computer servers.

The agency has just announced a new Energy Star spec for computer servers that are 30% more energy efficient than standard fare.

The environmental benefits of switching to more efficient servers include helping to reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollution emissions. The business case for investing in servers that earn the Energy Star certification includes:

• generating less waste heat, which reduces air conditioning demand in facilities
• improving power quality, which provides building-wide efficiency benefits
• measuring real-time power use, processor utilization and air temperature, and
• using performance data sheets to help purchasers compare energy usage between competing servers.

To track which servers qualify for the Energy Star rating, check here for frequent updates to equipment added to the EPA-approved list.

This is the first cut on an Energy Star server spec, and it’s a modest first step because it only rates units based on their power consumption while idling, not while they’re actually processing. EPA officials say they hope to upgrade the spec next year.

Meanwhile, the agency expects that about 25% of servers will qualify for the Energy Star program this year.

EPA’s press release is here.

The new Energy Star energy efficient server specs and other data center initiatives are here.

Tags: air pollution, energy efficiency, energy star, Green IT, greenhouse gases