This page provides acquisition guidance for data center storage. Federal laws and requirements mandate that agencies purchase ENERGY STAR®-certified products or Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)-designated products for all covered product categories except as specifically exempted by law.
ENERGY STAR efficiency requirements and FEMP's acquisition guidance apply to fully functional storage systems that are comprised of one or more stock keeping units (SKUs), stored and marketed as a single product, and meet all other conditions in the ENERGY STAR specification.
This acquisition guidance was updated in December 2024.
Where To Find Product Efficiency Requirements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides data center storage efficiency levels and product specification information on its ENERGY STAR website. Manufacturers meeting these requirements are allowed to display the ENERGY STAR label on complying models. Get a list of ENERGY STAR certified data center storage.
Did you know?
One watt-hour of energy savings at the storage level results in roughly 1.9 watt-hours of facility-level energy savings. These additional savings stem from reducing energy waste in the power infrastructure (e.g., power distribution unit, uninterruptible power supply) and reducing 24/7 energy needed to cool the waste heat produced by data storage.
How To Determine Cost Effectiveness
An efficient product is cost effective when the lifetime energy savings exceed the up-front cost premium (if any) compared to a less efficient option. You can find more information about determining life cycle cost effectiveness on our general guidance page.
See Table 1 below for an example comparing the life cycle cost savings of a base model (less efficient than the ENERGY STAR required efficiency), a model meeting the ENERGY STAR efficiency and a model with the highest available efficiency.
Example: 1,500 TB Data Center Storage System
FEMP has calculated that an ENERGY STAR-certified data center storage system, with 1,500 TB capacity and hard disk drives (HDDs) using a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface to connect to computer systems, saves money if it costs no more than $525 (in 2023 dollars) above the less efficient model. The best available model shown below is cost effective if it costs no more than $698 above the less efficient model (or $173 above the required model).
Table 1. Lifetime Savings for Efficient Data Center Storage Models
| Model Efficiency Level | Best Available | ENERGY STAR | Less Efficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Energy Use (kWh) | 757 | 1130 | 2260 |
| Annual Energy Cost | $83 | $124 | $249 |
| Lifetime Energy Cost | $392 | $525 | $1,050 |
| Lifetime Energy Cost Savings | $698 | $525 | ====== |
Energy Use and Cost Assumptions
Annual Energy Use: Calculated based on ENERGY STAR and 80 PLUS Certification power supply efficiency values at different loads, power draw per hard drive according to market research from Further Market Research and Brad Johns Consulting, and example values for hard drive and storage equipment capacity from products in the ENERGY STAR Qualified Products List.
Annual Energy Cost: Calculated based on an energy price of 11¢/kWh, which is the average electricity price at federal facilities in the United States as of July 2024. Learn more about Federal Government Energy/Water Use and Emissions data.
Lifetime Energy Cost: Calculated using an assumed product life of five years from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's December 2024 Data Center Energy Usage report. Used future electricity price trends and a 3% discount rate from Energy Price Indices and Discount Factors for Life-Cycle Cost Analysis – 2024: Annual Supplement to NIST Handbook 135 and NBS Special Publication 709 (NISTIR 85-3273-39).
Lifetime Energy Cost Savings: The difference between the lifetime energy cost of the identified models.
Model Efficiency Level
Best Available: Based on the highest efficiency models in the ENERGY STAR® Qualified Products List as of December 2024. More efficient models may have entered the market after FEMP's acquisition guidance was created.
ENERGY STAR: Based on ENERGY STAR required efficiency levels for data center storage as of December 2024. Federal agencies must purchase products that meet or exceed ENERGY STAR efficiency levels.
Less Efficient: Based on the 80 Plus Standard, which is currently met by a majority of products on the market, according to efficiency consultancy and contractor CLEAResult.
Where To Buy Compliant Products
Buyers can make sure the product they purchase will be compliant by incorporating federal acquisition regulation language into contracts. Compliant products can also be found using federal supply sources and product codes. See our general guidance page for more details on buying compliant energy-using products.
Data Center Storage Product Codes
Purchasers can use a United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) to identify and buy products and to track purchases. For data center storage, the relevant UNSPSC codes are 43201803 for hard disk drives, 43201807 for tape drives and 43201830 for solid state drives.
Other Tips for Choosing and Using the Best Product Efficiently
Tips for Selecting the Best Storage Product
Storage Type: The current ENERGY STAR data center storage specification includes Online 2, 3, and 4 storage products. Buyers should investigate their individual storage needs before selecting the storage product types that maximize performance and energy cost savings for the specific applications.
Solid state drives (SSDs): SSDs feature faster read and access speeds, but are more expensive than conventional hard disks. If SSDs are too costly for the application, buyers should consider purchasing systems that use only the smaller 2.5-inch form factor hard disk drives, which provide the same performance as the traditional 3.5-inch form factor drives but consume less energy.
Capacity Optimizing Methods (COMs): COMs can be used to improve data storage by shrinking stored data, thereby reducing energy consumption. COMs may include thin provisioning, data deduplication, compression, and delta snapshots, as defined in the ENERGY STAR data center storage specification. Buyers can consult with product vendors or IT professionals for the type(s) of COMs suited for facility applications and workload.
Data Center Applications: Purchasing efficient storage equipment can be an important step in meeting data center energy reduction goals. Agencies should consult the FEMP Center of Expertise for Energy Efficiency in Data Centers website to find more design strategies, tools, and best practices for reducing energy use through equipment selection in data centers.
Rebates: Some utilities offer rebates or other incentives for the purchase of ENERGY STAR-certified products. Use the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder to see if your local utility offers these incentives.
Tips for Using Storage Systems More Efficiently
Power Data Measurements: Per the current ENERGY STAR data center storage specification, Online 3 and 4 storage products are required to measure and report input power in watts through the full range of operation. Data are available to users in formats readable by third-party, non-proprietary management systems, over a standard network connection, and via embedded components or add-in devices that are packaged with the storage product. Users can make use of collected data to facilitate equipment selection and optimize operation strategies.
Massive Array of Idle Disks: Many hard disks run on a continuous basis—this not only wears out the mechanical parts, but also consumes energy as long as the disks are running. For data that are accessed very infrequently and do not demand a fast response time, Massive Array of Idle Disks (MAID) is an alternative in which only those disk drives in active use are spinning at any given time, and hard disks not accessed for a longer period are switched off. If used properly, the MAID technology reduces power consumption and prolongs disk lifespan.