Consulting Services

Services outlined for Utility,IT Industry, Data Center Operator, and Start-Up/Venture clients.

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Consulting Services

Areas of Expertise and Consulting Services

For Utility Clients

Employee Training and Education

• Preparation and delivery of a “fundamentals of data center and IT energy efficiency” program intended for utility program managers and account managers. 
• Programs can be tailored to meet specific audience needs, from half-hour webinars describing a specific technology/measure/program element, to full-day seminars that comprehensively discuss energy efficiency opportunities.

Market Characterization and Analysis

• Based on four years of program and service delivery to the data center and IT infrastructure markets, I will provide an in-depth understanding of the subcategories of these markets, and which program elements are appropriate and applicable to each category.  Coupled with an estimation of each market size in your service area, an estimate of program accomplishments over time can be characterized.

Program Planning

• Support in the design of a tailored program and service offering that matches your customer markets, regulatory requirements, and internal resources.  Based on an extensive analysis of available opportunities, I will present a multi-year program and service offering schedule, identifying resource needs and market strategies.

Customer Engagement

• Introduction to key data center and IT managers at national and global clients such as Digital Realty Trust, Savvis, AT&T, Microsoft, Google, EBay, and Yahoo.  These customers are key targets for engagement and participation in utility incentive programs.
• Delivery of compelling, effective presentations to your key customer groups regarding the market imperative for driving higher efficiency in data center and IT infrastructure operations, technology opportunities, and the benefits of engagement with utility program and service offerings.

RFQ and RFP Preparation and Review

·      The selection of external resources for program delivery and support can be crucial to your success, depending on your program and service model.  I can prepare Request For Proposal/Qualification documents and provide a list of potential contractors who are capable of providing needed services and willing to work in your service area.

·      At your request, I can assist with the evaluation of contractor bids and/or qualification documents.

Marketing and Outreach Planning

·      Development of a single or multi-year marketing and outreach plan, providing a roadmap for customer, vendor, design community, and other stakeholder marketing and outreach activities that will ensure program successful program delivery.

Vendor Outreach and Relations

• Identification of and introduction to key technology and service providers that can support utility efficiency programs, including technology vendors, data center design and engineering firms, and major IT companies with data center service arms.
• Ability to quickly provide analyses of vendor product and service offerings and evaluations of their applicability and eligibility for utility program and service offerings.

White Papers

• As part of my consultancy practice, I will be preparing a series of white papers that present an in-depth analysis of market opportunities for utilities in the data center and IT infrastructure markets. These white papers will be available to utility clients on a fee or subscription basis, including access to webinar and individual discussion services.
• Examples of white paper topics under development include:

o   Demand response opportunities for data center customers

o   Sub-metering and pass-through billing

o   Data center load shifting using thermal energy storage

o   Energy metering and monitoring systems for data centers

o   New construction standards and programs for data centers

o   Vendor relations in the IT industry: opportunities and pitfalls

o   New energy efficiency technologies for data centers and IT equipment

o   Desktop energy efficiency measures and program designs

Areas of Expertise and Consulting Services

For Information Technology Industry Clients

Presentations and Briefings

·      Delivery of impactful presentations to your engineering, marketing, sales, governmental relations, and other business groups regarding opportunities for collaboration with utilities to meet your business objectives. Subject areas can include a primer on utility regulation with regard to energy efficiency and demand response, a review of utility program offerings nationally, and barriers to market entry and participation.

·      Delivery of presentations to your customers and clients, making a powerful impression regarding the energy challenges facing data center and IT managers, and how to partner with you to deliver solutions.

Market Insight/General Consultation

·      Regular consultations regarding: utility-related activities and programs that can support your business objectives; your competitive advantages with regard to energy efficiency and sustainable IT deployment vis-à-vis your market space; feedback regarding potential utility program qualification for new products and services.

·      Access to regular white papers per the description in the previous section.

·      Additional white paper topics of particular interest to IT industry clients will include:

o   A primer on utility business models and how they inform the availability of energy efficiency and demand response programs

o   The fundamentals of utility energy efficiency program design

Areas of Expertise and Consulting Services

For Data Center Operator Clients 

Technical Consultation

·      High-level review of your existing data centers and IT infrastructure, including identification of opportunities for energy efficiency improvements that can aid in capacity planning, and availability of utility incentives for efficiency or demand response engagements.

·      Review of new data center development plans with regard to incorporation of energy efficient practices and engagement with utility incentive programs.

General Consultation

·      Understanding of utility rate structures, regulations, carbon content of power, rate options, and other service delivery options.

·      Access to regular white papers per the description in the first and second sections.

·      Additional white paper topics of particular interest to data center operator clients will include:

o   Determining the carbon content of power delivered by your utility

o   Load shifting utilizing thermal energy storage

o   Power factor correction

o   Benchmarking and emissions reporting

o   How to select and negotiate electric service

o   Demand response opportunities for data centers

o   How to compare utility rates

o   Advantages of re-using existing facilities for data centers

  

Areas of Expertise and Consulting Services

For Start-up and Venture Capital Clients 

General Consultation

·      Topic areas:

o   Utility regulation, and opportunities for utility programs and support for new technologies, products, or services.

o   Understanding the fundamentals of utility business models, and the relative financial benefits that could derive from energy efficiency, demand response, and smart grid technology deployments.