Data centers are , and the rebate programs help utility companies reduce demand on their networks and potentially avoid having to construct new power plants.

PG&E gave out $7 million in high-tech rebates in 2008, and has set aside a further $50 million through 2012. The payments range from hundreds of dollars for small projects to much larger sums. NetApp received last December for a data center construction project that uses fresh air cooling and other energy-saving techniques.

The utilities need more help to run the programs, however, and Bramfitt encouraged data centers to work more closely with their energy providers. "There is no other utility in the country with more than one person full-time on this," he said Thursday. "The state of the game out there with utilities is really tough."

At the same time, PG&E is expanding its rebate programs to support new products. Next year it will start providing subsidies for , he said.

"We plan to subsidize the premium for Energy Star servers by writing checks for HP and Dell. They'll say how many they are selling to you, and I'll write them checks so that you will see lower prices for Energy Star servers," Bramfitt said.