Green technology is revolutionizing the IT world to help create a more sustainable future. What used to be eco-friendly buzzwords are now becoming more often a reality and even the norm. From energy-efficient data centers to biodegradable electronics, these innovations are the driving force behind a more responsible tech industry.
Learn how technology impacts the environment along with solutions to this issue. And understand how data centers, software, and hardware are changing to become more sustainable.
The Rise of Green Technology in IT: Why Sustainability is the New Imperative
In today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, green technology is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. As the IT industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, embracing sustainable practices has become important for long-term success.
Defining Green Technology in IT
Times are changing, and individuals and organizations are embracing green. Everyone is pitching in to become more environmentally friendly, from households to restaurants to theme parks and stadiums. The goal of green is to mitigate the environmental impact whatever you’re doing, making, or changing has on our planet.
Being green also encompasses the world of IT.
The author of a Forbes article about green tech shares an example: “Companies within battery technology look to find the next generation of designs that allow for higher energy density and lower environmental cost of construction. These won’t just be used to power EVs and mobile devices, but to act as storage for renewable energy methods like solar, wind and hydroelectric.”
Green technology in IT matters similarly to an EV battery because it helps reduce the industry’s significant carbon footprint and energy consumption and demonstrates a commitment to corporate social responsibility.
The Environmental Impact of IT
The carbon footprint of data centers, devices, and networks is of the utmost concern and has the most environmental impact of all IT-related items.
Data centers, for example, consume about 1% of global electricity. Constant uptime and growing data demands worsen their environmental impact.
Electronic device manufacturing and disposal, including smartphones, laptops, and servers, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Production involves mining rare materials and consuming energy, while the disposal of outdated devices adds to e-waste.
An in-house study at Oxford found that “A typical staff desktop and screen used for eight hours results in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions equivalent to around 70g CO2e arising from the electricity consumed.”
Another interesting study shows that 20% of the carbon footprint of a laptop arises from its use, while 80% arises from factors such as:
- The supply chain that delivers materials to the manufacturer
- The types of materials used to manufacture the laptop
- The techniques used during the manufacture
- The life expectancy of the laptop
- The recycling potential of the laptop once it comes to the end of its life
Networks are just as harmful, and with the rise of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), the energy demand for maintaining seamless global connectivity continues to rise.
Drivers of Change
Regulatory pressures, corporate responsibility, and consumer demand for sustainable solutions are all driving changes in IT sustainability.
Energy-Efficient Data Centers: The Backbone of Sustainable IT
The Energy Problem
Due to the ever-growing demand for digital services, traditional data centers continue contributing to rising global energy consumption.
According to research cited by the International Energy Agency:
- The rapid growth of large data centers has led to a 20-40% annual increase in energy use over the past several years.
- Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta’s combined electricity use doubled between 2017 and 2021, rising to around 72 TWh in 2021.
- In 2022, the data center energy use (excluding crypto) was 240-340 TWh.
The agency also shares, “Since 2010, the number of internet users worldwide has more than doubled, while global internet traffic has expanded 25-fold. Rapid improvements in energy efficiency have, however, helped moderate growth in energy demand from data centers and data transmission networks, which each account for 1-1.5% of global electricity use.”
Where there is a problem, there is always a solution. Without a solution, we have an incredible problem as climate change surges.
Innovative Solutions
Below are just a few examples of technology-based solutions to keep us more green:
Technological advances include liquid cooling systems and immersion cooling, which use liquids to dissipate heat from data center components efficiently. Additionally, free cooling takes advantage of natural air or water sources to reduce the need for energy-intensive air conditioning.
Renewable energy integration involves using solar panels and wind farms to power data centers directly or through energy purchase agreements. Hydroelectric power provides a reliable and renewable energy source for these facilities.
Efficient hardware includes SSDs for faster data access and lower power consumption than HDDs. It also involves low-power processors and Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) to minimize energy usage by adjusting power in real time based on workload.
Case Studies
Several companies are leading the way and setting the standard with sustainable data center practices.
Currently, there are various compacts and projects related to data center sustainability.
- Google, Microsoft, Iron Mountain, Sustainable Energy for All, and the United Nations have signed the 24/7 Carbon-free Energy Compact.
- DIMPACT is a collaborative carbon footprint measurement project. Participants include some of the largest media companies in the world, including Netflix, the BBC, and the Economist.
- Microsoft aims to be carbon-negative by 2030 and has implemented underwater data centers and advanced cooling technologies to reduce energy use.
- Apple powers its data centers entirely with renewable energy and uses innovative cooling systems to maximize efficiency.
Others will follow in the footsteps of these tech giants once they observe the impact of going green.
Sustainable Hardware: The Future of IT Infrastructure
The demand for green, eco-friendly infrastructure is high. Tech experts are contributing to creating sustainable hardware, which promises to reduce environmental impact while enhancing efficiency and performance.
Green Design and Manufacturing
Sustainable materials and eco-friendly production processes play large roles in driving IT into the future. Green is the goal, and designers and manufacturers understand the business benefits. Going green, however, requires an entire shift in how electronics are designed, produced, and used.
Characteristics of sustainable hardware can include creating more durable devices with longevity in mind, devices that are much more energy-efficient, and, of course, those made from responsibly sourced materials. And let’s not forget about using recyclable materials and reusing parts.
The Circular Economy in IT
The EPA has a sustainable materials management (SMM) approach, which encourages a circular economy.
An article from the EPA reads, “It [circular economy] is a change to the model in which resources are mined, made into products, and then become waste. A circular economy reduces material use, redesigns materials and products to be less resource intensive, and recaptures “waste” as a resource to manufacture new materials and products.”
Recycling and reusability is a strategy for reducing e-waste, which is imperative in the tech world.
Innovation in Devices
Energy-efficient computing, longer-lasting batteries, and the rise of modular devices are all sustainable hardware innovations to watch.
Chip and battery design creates eco-friendly tech. Advances in chip design and processing technologies are making computers and data centers more energy-efficient, and newer processors and optimized algorithms reduce power consumption. Another aim is to increase battery lifespan, reduce the frequency of replacements, and improve energy density.
Many people seek modular devices. Instead of constantly upgrading an entire smartphone, why not simply replace the part that needs the upgrade or repair? This extends the smartphone’s lifespan, reduces e-waste, and improves repairability. Examples include modular smartphones and laptops with replaceable components like memory and storage.
Software’s Role in Sustainability: Optimizing for Efficiency
Green Software Development
Green on the outside also should be green on the inside to harness the most sustainability.
Principles and practices for creating energy-efficient software include writing optimized code and algorithms, managing resources and data efficiently, focusing on energy efficiency, and testing energy consumption.
By applying these principles, developers can create software that performs well and supports environmental sustainability.
The Green Software Foundation is already on it. This non-profit has the vision of “[Changing] the culture of building software across the tech industry, so sustainability becomes a core priority to software teams, just as important as performance, security, cost, and accessibility.”
Check them out and see what they have in store for the future!
AI and Machine Learning
Focusing specifically on IT software, below are great examples of how intelligent algorithms can optimize energy usage and reduce waste in the areas of…
- Data center energy management
- Cloud computing optimization
- Virtualization and containerization
- Power management software
- Network optimization
- Software-defined networking and storage
- Energy-efficient coding practices
- Virtual collaboration tools
AI algorithms can analyze data to detect patterns and trends that help optimize energy use. This optimization can significantly decrease energy consumption, leading to reduced carbon emissions.
Sustainable Cloud Computing
With cloud computing, companies can eliminate expensive servers and complex hardware and software and keep everything safe online. Powerful software and storage provided by companies like Amazon, Microsoft, or Google often fit the needs of large businesses and individuals looking to be more environmentally friendly.
Sustainable cloud computing creates more remote work opportunities, uses much less energy than data centers, and is more cost-effective, with no idle hardware or software to worry about.
To maximize the sustainability of your cloud computing options, experts at 3H Cloud have some advice: “Choosing providers who use renewable energy and implement energy-efficient practices in their data centers is a foundational step towards sustainable cloud computing.” They also advise “Businesses [to] influence their users to adopt more efficient digital behaviors” and to monitor and document “energy use and sustainability metrics enables businesses to measure their progress and identify areas for further improvement.”
The Future of Green IT: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities
Like most technology, the future of green IT is quickly evolving. As businesses prioritize sustainability and tech innovation, we will determine the opportunities and challenges along the way.
Emerging Technologies
Scientists and researchers are doing everything they can to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Innovations like quantum computing, for example, are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in IT. Its possibilities are thrilling, and while some believe the potential environmental impact of quantum computing is questionable, there are ways it can help.
The author of an article from The Quantum Insider shares a few examples:
Improving forecasting for renewable energy integration, optimizing power grid management, enhancing power system stability and reliability, and improving battery technology are just a few.
Other examples of emerging green tech include but are not limited to:
- Energy-efficient data centers
- Edge computing
- Sustainable cloud-computing
- Recyclable and biodegradable electronics
- AI-driven optimization
- Circular economy in IT
As businesses and individuals prepare for breakthrough technology, they must contemplate the challenges ahead. Proactive thinking will help everyone get ahead of the game.
Challenges Ahead
Balancing IT performance with sustainability is essential for long-term success. Energy-efficient hardware, cloud computing, and virtualization can reduce environmental impact without sacrificing speed or capacity. It may seem costly upfront, a challenge for some, but the long-term savings and benefits—from lower energy costs to reduced e-waste—make it worthwhile.
However, challenges like cost concerns, legacy systems, and cultural resistance must be addressed. Education, strong leadership, and partnerships with sustainable vendors are key to overcoming these barriers. In the end, adopting green IT initiatives boosts efficiency and aligns your organization with the future of technology.
Strategic Insights
Businesses can leverage green technology for competitive advantage and long-term sustainability. This will occur by cutting costs, boosting efficiency, and meeting the growing consumer demand for eco-friendly practices.
Conclusion
Green technology is transforming IT by making sustainability a priority. As businesses adopt energy-efficient solutions, they reduce costs, lower environmental impact, and boost corporate responsibility. Despite challenges, embracing green IT today ensures long-term success and a more sustainable future.