There has been some concerns that cloud computing is contributing to climate change. Data center workloads, powered by the rise in cloud computing, may not be the threat to the climate many have feared, according to a recent report. In fact, it may offer solutions. This interesting topic came to us from Data Center Frontier in their article, “Can Cloud Computing Lead the Way on Climate?“
The cloud’s computing power can supercharge climate change research, which involves identifying trends in increasingly large, complex data sets. It’s also helped democratize access to machine learning tools.
The fact remains that the data centers that enable cloud computing can eat up enormous amounts of energy—much of which comes from fossil fuels. By 2030, it is estimated that data center demand could reach 13% of the world’s total electricity consumption.
The data center industry is in a unique position to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices and reduce the damage to our changing climate. Customers and stakeholders are demanding accountability on climate impact, creating a compelling business incentive to embrace sustainability.
Melody K. Smith
Sponsored by Access Innovations, the world leader in thesaurus, ontology, and taxonomy creation and metadata application.
