CEP Sustainability & Energy Efficiency 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which metric is most commonly used to measure the energy efficiency of a data center's infrastructure?
- Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) (Correct answer)
- Energy Star Rating
- LEED Certification Score
- Carbon Intensity Factor
Correct answer: Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)
PUE is the industry-standard ratio of total facility energy to IT equipment energy, with a perfect score of 1.0.
Question 2: A company sets a Science-Based Target (SBT) for emissions reductions. Which global temperature goal do SBTs typically align with?
- 1.5°C or well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels (Correct answer)
- 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels
- 0.5°C above current levels
- 3°C above pre-industrial levels
Correct answer: 1.5°C or well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels
Science-Based Targets align with the Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to 1.5°C or well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
Question 3: What is a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) in the context of US energy procurement?
- A tradable certificate representing 1 MWh of electricity generated from renewable sources (Correct answer)
- A government subsidy for installing solar panels
- A contract guaranteeing renewable energy delivery through the grid
- A tax credit for purchasing green energy
Correct answer: A tradable certificate representing 1 MWh of electricity generated from renewable sources
A REC represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt-hour of electricity generated and delivered to the grid from a renewable source.
Question 4: Which demand-side management strategy involves shifting energy-intensive operations to periods of lower grid demand or lower electricity prices?
- Load shifting (Correct answer)
- Energy curtailment
- Peak clipping
- Valley filling
Correct answer: Load shifting
Load shifting moves energy consumption from peak periods to off-peak periods without reducing total consumption.
Question 5: An energy auditor classifies a facility as needing a Level II energy audit. What does this typically include beyond a Level I audit?
- Energy use analysis with standard measures and savings potential calculations (Correct answer)
- Commissioning of all HVAC systems
- Installation of sub-metering equipment
- Continuous monitoring for 12 months
Correct answer: Energy use analysis with standard measures and savings potential calculations
A Level II audit adds detailed energy use analysis and identifies ECMs with estimated savings and costs beyond the walk-through of a Level I.
Question 6: What is the primary function of an ISO 50001 Energy Management System?
- To provide a framework for organizations to improve energy performance through policies, objectives, and targets (Correct answer)
- To certify buildings as net-zero energy consumers
- To mandate renewable energy procurement for industrial facilities
- To replace LEED certification for commercial buildings
Correct answer: To provide a framework for organizations to improve energy performance through policies, objectives, and targets
ISO 50001 provides a systematic framework for continuously improving energy management practices, performance, and efficiency.
Question 7: In energy procurement, what does 'additionality' mean in the context of corporate renewable energy purchasing?
- The purchased renewable energy results in new capacity being built that wouldn't exist otherwise (Correct answer)
- The buyer adds renewable energy to its existing supply mix
- The renewable purchase adds RECs to the buyer's portfolio
- The supplier adds the customer to its green tariff program
Correct answer: The purchased renewable energy results in new capacity being built that wouldn't exist otherwise
Additionality means the corporate purchase causes new renewable generation capacity to be developed, maximizing environmental impact.
CEP Sustainability & Energy Efficiency 2
Which metric is most commonly used to measure the energy efficiency of a data center's infrastructure?