Increasingly large power requirements are prompting data centers to experiment with alternative power sources, it has been suggested.
According to Ted Ritter, an analyst at Nemertes Research Group, many data center companies are struggling to justify an investment in renewable power sources.
He told Computer World that most are looking into supplementing their supply with solar arrays, wind power and hydro power instead of fully committing to replacing their systems.
Furthermore, there is the issue of suitability. Forrester Research analyst Doug Washburn told the news source: "The level of efficiency you can get out of solar energy is dictated by the location of the data center.
"If you are in an area where the sun shines more frequently, you can take advantage of a solar investment."
The comments follow research from Greenpeace, which found that data centers account for around three per cent of electricity used in the US.
This figure is growing at a rate of around 12 per cent each year.