Opportunities and challenges for data center demand response

Abstract

This paper surveys the opportunities and challenges in an emerging area of research that has the potential to significantly ease the incorporation of renewable energy into the grid as weil as electric power peak-load shaving: data center demand response. Data center demand response sits at the intersection of two growing fields: energy efficient data centers and demand response in the smart grid. As such, the literature related to data center demand response is sprinkled across multiple areas and worked on by diverse groups. Our goal in this survey is to demonstrate the potential of the field while also summarizing the progress that has been made and the challenges that remain.