Cloud computing can reduce greenhouse gases, survey finds
Cloud computing can reduce greenhouse gases, survey finds
Cloud computing has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases by up to 95 per cent, according to a new survey sponsored by Microsoft Europe and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI).
'The Enabling Technologies of a Low-Carbon Economy – a Focus on Cloud Computing' study – which was carried out by experts at Harvard University, Imperial College and Reading University – investigated the impact of cloud computing on lowering greenhouses gases in France, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, the UK, Portugal, China, Brazil, Canada and Indonesia.
The researchers found that the level of reduction that could take place would lead to monetary savings of more than $2.2 billion (£1.44 billion), while expanding cloud services to large-scale communication technology could cause those savings to rise to $1.2 trillion.
The survey showed that, if 80 per cent of public and private bodies located in the countries listed, begin to make use of cloud-based email, groupware solutions and customer relationship management, energy usage will fall by 11.2 TWh each year. This impressive figure is equivalent to removing 4.5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions each year – a huge boost for the environment.
Leader of the study, Dr Peter Thomond, said: “The findings show, contrary to the perception of power hungry data centres, that the energy efficiency of cloud infrastructure and its ‘embedded carbon’ outperform on-site services by an order of magnitude. This is only 3 cloud applications, there are hundreds more."
GeSi chairman, Luis Neves, agreed, adding: “Cloud-based email, CRM and groupware are only the tip of the iceberg. In 2012, GeSI published the SMARTer2020 study that found that large-scale, systems-enabled broadband and information and communication technologies could deliver a 16.5 per cent reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions and save up to $1.9 trillion in savings by 2020".
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud, should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
