San Antonio Gets Green Data Center

CityNAP has become the first "green" data center in Texas by signing a new contract with CPS Energy to purchase all of its power from renewable wind-generated electric sources, reports the San Antonio Biz Journal (link via Environmental Leader). "A center like ours uses a lot of energy, so we're doing everything we can to lessen our impact on the environment by using the most energy-efficient equipment and buying renewable energy," CityNAP President Frank R. Robles says.

CityNAP is a 10,000 square foot carrier neutral data center and Internet hub in downtown San Antonio, which is emerging as an attractive market for data center site location due to its combination of affordable local power and few natural disaster risks. But San Antonio did not have a network access point, to provide interconnections for network service providers.

Robles is a telecom industry veteran who was an early employee of pioneering ISP NetCom and later founded metro network provider Yipes Communications. Graham Weston, the executive chairmman of San Antonio-based managed hosting firm Rackspace, encouraged Robles to establish a NAP in the city. CityNAP now offers a choice of connectivity from carriers including AboveNet, AT&T, Level 3, Verizon, Time Warner Telecom and XO communications.

CPS Energy says renewable energy from wind, solar and landfill gas now comprises 11 percent of the power company's peak electrical demand.