Dedicated web hosting company, The Planet, has released the results of its six-month trial to reduce power consumption and increase data center operating efficiency.

Initial results demonstrate that while critical server loads increased by 5 percent, power used for cooling decreased by 31 percent. Overall, the company experienced power reductions of up to 13.5 percent through a broad range of improvements. The new ''green'' initiatives, conducted across its six world-class data centers, are expected to deliver cost savings in excess of $1 million in 2008 alone.

"With six data centers that house more than 50,000 servers, it's important that we operate at peak performance to meet the demands of our 22,000 customers. At the same time, our goal is to conserve energy and drive operating efficiencies since power is a premium in every corner of the world. Ultimately, when we operate more efficiently, our customers reap the benefits since we're able to spend capital on products and services that will enhance the customer experience", said Jeff Lowenberg, Vice President for The Planet.

The Planet also improved its ''coefficient of efficiency,'' an EPA- and Uptime Institute-recognized measurement of the total power necessary to operate a data center divided by critical power, which represents the energy required to operate its computers. The company increased its rating to 1.7 - a near-ideal number - from its previous ''good'' ranking of 2.0.