Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/424 of 15 March 2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for servers and data storage products - consolidated text 01.03.2021 (incl. Regulation (EU) 2021/341)

Overview

The Regulation sets ecodesign requirements for the placing on the market and putting into service of servers and online data storage products. Excluded are servers for embedded applications, small-scale servers, servers with more than four processor sockets, server appliances, large servers, fully fault tolerant servers, network servers, and small and large data storage products. Requirements are in Annex II and the timetable in Article 3: most provisions apply from 1 March 2020, the firmware provision from 1 March 2021 and the stricter PSU tier from 1 January 2023. The consolidated text is a documentation tool only; the Official Journal texts are authentic.

PSU requirements come in two tiers. From 1 March 2020 single-output PSUs must reach at least 90%, 94% and 91% efficiency at 20%, 50% and 100% of rated load and power factor 0.95 at 50% load; multi-output PSUs 88%, 92% and 88% with power factor 0.90. From 1 January 2023 single-output PSUs need 90%, 94%, 96% and 91% at 10%, 20%, 50% and 100% load, and multi-output PSUs 90%, 94% and 91% at 20%, 50% and 100%; both need power factor 0.95 at 50% load. Direct current servers are outside these PSU requirements.

Servers with one or two processor sockets face further requirements. Idle power is limited by Pidle = Pbase + sum of Padd: Pbase is 25 W for 1-socket, 38 W for 2-socket and 40 W for blade or multi-node servers, with allowances for extra components (for example 10 W per PSU installed for redundancy, 5.0 W per HDD or SSD, 0.18 W per GB of memory above 4 GB). Minimum active state efficiency is 9.0 for 1-socket, 9.5 for 2-socket and 8.0 for blade or multi-node servers. Resilient, HPC and integrated-APA servers are excluded from the idle power and active state provisions.

Material efficiency and information duties make the Regulation relevant to server selection. Joining and fastening techniques must not prevent disassembly of storage devices, memory, CPU, motherboard, expansion cards, PSU, chassis and batteries for repair or reuse; secure data deletion must be available; the latest firmware and security updates must be provided for set periods (at least eight years after the last unit is placed on the market). Manufacturers must publish PSU efficiency, power factor, idle power, maximum power, declared operating condition class and active state efficiency on free-access websites for at least eight years.

Annex II Table 6 defines the operating condition classes: allowable dry bulb range A1 15-32 C, A2 10-35 C, A3 5-40 C and A4 5-45 C, with a recommended range of 18-27 C for all and a maximum rate of change of 5/20 C per hour. Annex III covers measurement and testing set-ups (product family low-end and high-end configurations, half-populated chassis for blades), Annex IV the market surveillance verification procedure, and Annex V indicative benchmarks for best available technology on 7 April 2019 (for example 18 W idle for a 1-socket rack server, class A4). Article 8 asks the Commission to review the requirements by March 2022.

Key points

1. From 1 January 2023 single-output PSUs must reach 90/94/96/91% efficiency at 10/20/50/100% load and power factor 0.95 at 50%; multi-output PSUs 90/94/91% at 20/50/100% and 0.95.
2. The 1 March 2020 tier is 90/94/91% at 20/50/100% load with power factor 0.95 for single-output PSUs and 88/92/88% with 0.90 for multi-output; DC servers are excluded from PSU requirements.
3. Minimum active state efficiency: 1-socket 9.0, 2-socket 9.5, blade or multi-node 8.0; resilient, HPC and integrated-APA servers are excluded.
4. Idle power limit is Pidle = Pbase + sum of Padd; Pbase is 25 W (1-socket), 38 W (2-socket), 40 W (blade/multi-node); allowances include 10 W per redundancy PSU and 5.0 W per HDD/SSD.
5. Operating condition classes (allowable dry bulb): A1 15-32 C, A2 10-35 C, A3 5-40 C, A4 5-45 C; recommended 18-27 C for all; maximum dew points 17/21/24/24 C.
6. A3 humidity runs from -12 C dew point and 8% RH to 24 C dew point and 85% RH; A4 to 90% RH; maximum rate of change is 5/20 C per hour.
7. Servers with more than four processor sockets are outside the scope.
8. Secure data deletion applies from 1 March 2020; latest firmware and security updates must be made available from 1 March 2021.
9. Product information, including PSU efficiency and declared operating condition class, must stay on free-access websites until at least eight years after the last unit of a model is placed on the market.
10. Annex V benchmark examples: 2-socket high performance rack server 67 W idle and active efficiency 26.1; 2-socket blade active efficiency 47.3.

Using it in design

• In the IT equipment catalogue store PSU efficiency at 10/20/50/100% load, power factor, active state efficiency (SERT/EN 303470) and declared operating class A1-A4, and validate new models against the 2023 tier.
• Cap allowable inlet temperatures in the cooling set-point wizard by the lowest declared class in a hall (A1 32 C, A2 35 C, A3 40 C, A4 45 C).
• Use the PSU curve in the electrical loss model at actual part load; the 2023 tier adds an efficiency requirement at 10% load for single-output PSUs.
• For servers with redundant PSUs, include the 10 W per redundancy PSU allowance in idle power estimates.
• In procurement specifications require the manufacturer to supply the point 3.1 product information (PSU efficiency, power factor, idle power, operating class).

Who should read it

Engineers and procurement specialists who select server and storage equipment, model power and cooling load or verify EU ecodesign compliance.

Document contents

1. Article 1: Subject matter and scope
2. Article 2: Definitions
3. Article 3: Ecodesign requirements and timetable
4. Article 4: Conformity assessment
5. Article 5: Verification procedure for market surveillance purposes
6. Article 6: Circumvention
7. Article 7: Indicative benchmarks
8. Article 8: Review
9. Article 9: Amendment to Regulation (EU) No 617/2013
10. Article 10: Entry into force
11. Annex I: Definitions applicable to Annexes II to V
12. Annex II: Ecodesign requirements
13. Annex III: Measurements and calculations
14. Annex IV: Verification procedure for market surveillance purposes
15. Annex V: Indicative benchmarks

Related standards

• EN 303470
• EN IEC 62623
• Regulation (EU) 2021/341
• ASHRAE TC9.9 Thermal Guidelines

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Publication details

Authors

European Commission

Publisher

European Commission

Year

2019

Document number

Regulation (EU) 2019/424 (CELEX 02019R0424-20210301)

Document language

English

Source type

Government / public

Access

Open licence — downloadable

Licence

EU reuse (2011/833/EU) — reuse permitted with acknowledgement of the source

Licence evidence

eur-lex.europa.eu

Citation