```

[109th Congress Public Law 431]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]

[DOCID: f:publ431.109]

[[Page 120 STAT. 2920]]

Public Law 109-431
109th Congress

                                 An Act

 
To study and promote the use of energy efficient computer servers in the 
         United States. <<NOTE: Dec. 20, 2006 -  [H.R. 5646]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. STUDY.

   <<NOTE: Deadline.>>   Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, through the Energy Star program, shall transmit to the Congress 
the results of a study analyzing the rapid growth and energy consumption 
of computer data centers by the Federal Government and private 
enterprise. The study shall include--
            (1) an overview of the growth trends associated with data 
        centers and the utilization of servers in the Federal Government 
        and private sector;
            (2) analysis of the industry migration to the use of energy 
        efficient microchips and servers designed to provide energy 
        efficient computing and reduce the costs associated with 
        constructing, operating, and maintaining large and medium scale 
        data centers;
            (3) analysis of the potential cost savings to the Federal 
        Government, large institutional data center operators, private 
        enterprise, and consumers available through the adoption of 
        energy efficient data centers and servers;
            (4) analysis of the potential cost savings and benefits to 
        the energy supply chain through the adoption of energy efficient 
        data centers and servers, including reduced demand, enhanced 
        capacity, and reduced strain on existing grid infrastructure, 
        and consideration of secondary benefits, including potential 
        impact of related advantages associated with substantial 
        domestic energy savings;
            (5) analysis of the potential impacts of energy efficiency 
        on product performance, including computing functionality, 
        reliability, speed, and features, and overall cost;
            (6) analysis of the potential cost savings and benefits to 
        the energy supply chain through the use of stationary fuel cells 
        for backup power and distributed generation;
            (7) an overview of current government incentives offered for 
        energy efficient products and services and consideration of 
        similar incentives to encourage the adoption of energy efficient 
        data centers and servers;
            (8) recommendations regarding potential incentives and 
        voluntary programs that could be used to advance the adoption of 
        energy efficient data centers and computing; and

[[Page 120 STAT. 2921]]

            (9) a meaningful opportunity for interested stakeholders, 
        including affected industry stakeholders and energy efficiency 
        advocates, to provide comments, data, and other information on 
        the scope, contents, and conclusions of the study.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that it is in the best interest of the 
United States for purchasers of computer servers to give high priority 
to energy efficiency as a factor in determining best value and 
performance for purchases of computer servers.

    Approved December 20, 2006.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 5646:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 109-538 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 152 (2006):
            July 11, 12, considered and passed House.
            Dec. 7, considered and passed Senate.

                                  <all>
```