Should Greenpeace lay off Facebook’s efficient new data center?

A rendering of Facebook's planned data center in Prineville, Ore.

Facebook spelled out the energy specs on its massive new data center in Prineville, Ore., last week.The location in a dry, temperate region avoids energy-intensive air conditioners or chillers in favor of evaporative cooling and the use of higher-voltage power avoids loss through transformers. Facebook is also deploying high-efficiency servers, cooling fans and LED indicators. (more details and figures here).

Not only that, the social networking company is being a good friend by breaking with the tech industry by sharing much of its knowledge on energy-efficient data centers, allowing other companies to copy the same practices.

Does this mean Greenpeace should give it a break?

The environmental org, you may remember, has been hounding Facebook for locating its new plant in PacifiCorp country – the Portland utility gets more than half its electricity from coal. Greenpeace targeted Facebook in its Make IT Green report last year, then upped the ante with an catchy animated video calling on viewers to unfriend’s Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg if he wouldn’t unfriend coal.

Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo wants Facebook to commit to phasing out the use of coal-fired power and tap more renewable energy. He tells Slate he wants Facebook to act by April 22 (Earth Day) or it’ll face … some new, undisclosed stunt.

Facebook maintains that its high-efficiency practices are more important than its energy source (energy wonks tend to agree with this efficiency-first approach). It also wants credit for transparency – especially in a secretive industry (Amazon doesn’t even say where its data centers are, and Google reveals little about its physical infrastructure).

Fair points, both. Facebook’s not doing much worse than the largest two internet companies. Google gets about half the power for its Lenoir, N.C. data center from coal, after all. But neither is Facebook seizing its opportunity to become a leading voice for renewable energy. Running the new plant off clean energy wouldn’t be simple – it would require lots of negotiations with PacifiCorp. But the planet needs its hottest young companies to take bold steps like that.

Sure, it’s asking a lot for Facebook to forego coal-fired power while staying competitive. At the rate the company has grown, it should be up for the challenge.