Data centres worldwide accounted for 205 terawatt-hours of electricity comsumption in 2018 —according to a study published in the Journal Science on February 2020. Despite positive improvements in energy and cooling efficiency, data centres still account for a hefty 1% of worldwide electricity consumption.
Despite of many operators claims that their data centres run on 100% renewable energy, most facilities worldwide are powered using non-renewable energy sources (ref). In fact, apart from data centres located close to hydroelectic energy sources, most facilities usually resort instead to buying renewable energy certificates and carbon offsetting.
What is Green Energy Hosting?
Green energy hosting or eco-friendly hosting is Internet hosting which involves green technologies to reduce environmental impact. Green hosting includes:
- Powering a data centres directly with renewable energy
- Large-scale renewable energy storage
- Carbon offsetting
- Using energy and cooling efficient appliances
Main Benefits of Green Energy Hosting
Green Hosting Can Help Reduce Air Pollution
Challenge. Air pollution occurs when harmful or excessive quantities of substances are introduced into Earth's atmosphere. When fossil fuels are heated and burned, they release harmful carbon particles, which can pose significant risks to living beings and human health. In particular, air pollution has been linked to serious human health issues, affecting the body's respiratory and cardiovascular systems, including respiratory infections, lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, neurological damage, premature death and several other serious problems.
Health Benefits. Powering data centres directly with renewable energy sources can help substantially decrease the amount of harmful air pollution particles. More specifically, green energy generated from solar and wind power is carbon-neutral and has no net greenhouse gas emissions or carbon footprint.
Green Hosting Can Help Mitigate Climate Change
Challenge. Green house emissions have been linked to ongoing global warming and climate change, including extreme weather events such as storms and droughts, raising sea levels, and ecosystems changes such as habitat loss and wildlife extinction. In addition, fossil fuel processing can have a significant detrimental impact on water resources. Some can pollute drinking water resources while others consume substantial amounts of water for cooling.
Environmental Benefits. Directly powering data centres with renewable energy sources can help decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most prevalent greenhouse gas linked to global warming. Moreover, renewable energy generated from solar and wind power requires almost no water resources to operate. Such green energy production neither pollute water resources, nor strain water supplies required for drinking or sustainable agriculture.
Green Hosting Can Help Diversify Energy Supply
Challenge. Fossil fuel resources are limited. Fossil fuel prices are prone to substantial market driven fluctuation and uncertainty. Predominant large scale fossil fuel energy generation and distribution systems are usually more prone to large-scale failure when impacted by severe weather events.
Economical Benefits. Fostering technological innovation and renewable energy development. On average, more jobs are created for each unit of electricity generated from renewable sources than from fossil fuels.
If you really think the environment is less important than the economy try holding your breathe while you count your money.
- Unknown
Final Summary
Despite improvements in energy efficiency, data centres still account for 1% of worldwide electricity consumption. Eco-friendly hosting is Internet hosting which involves green technologies to reduce environmental impact.
Benefits. Green energy hosting can help:
- Reduce air pollution (health)
- Mitigate climate change (environment)
- Diversify energy supply (economy)
What Can I Do?
Act at Home
- Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) company.
- Contact your web hosting company.
Act Locally
- Contact your elected officials.
- Are you a decision maker at work?
Act Online
- Download the Green Web app.
- Share this post.