Are you ready to adopt Green Cloud Computing?

Over the past years, we’ve seen how cloud computing completely changed the business world. Unfortunately, as the demand for cloud infrastructure started growing, so did the energy consumption of data centers and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, leading to a new approach: green cloud computing.

The new era of green cloud computing is here!

Looking at the carbon footprint of the ICT sector alone, a paper published in the Journal of Cleaner Production showed that the amount of global GHG emissions is expected to increase to 14% by 2040, accounting to about half the emissions of the global transport sector. Considering these alarming statistics, the need for green cloud computing is higher than ever and we all need to play our part in making a positive impact on the environment.

As a short definition, the term “green cloud computing” refers to the environmental benefits of switching your IT services to the cloud. When you decide to implement it, you can look forward to higher energy-efficient mechanisms, managed security services and cloud security solutions. 

How can your business benefit from green cloud practices?

The benefits of green cloud computing are focused on three major directions: energy saving, carbon-footprint reduction and lowering the operational costs. There are two ways to look at these benefits:

• As a cloud provider – you can achieve green cloud computing by improving energy efficiency and implementing renewable energy solutions, resulting in lower GHG emissions. Additionally, by using such energy-saving techniques and optimal cooling systems, you will be able to reduce maintenance and operational costs.

• As a cloud user – you can replace high-powered computers with low-powered devices, which will improve the energy efficiency and lower the GHG emissions at the same time. Additionally, costs will decrease as a result of reduced expenditure on energy and on the necessary infrastructure.

As you can see, the benefits of adopting green cloud computing are highly interdependent. This means that by reducing your energy consumption, you will entail lower operational costs and lower GHG emissions for your business, regardless of your position as a cloud provider or a cloud user.

Real-life applications of green practices

Here are three major ways to better illustrate the environmental impact that the implementation of green cloud computing can have on your business.

1.Moving to the cloud will help you save energy

Back in 2013, Google showed that by moving to the cloud, companies could reduce their total energy consumption by 87%. The first step would be to reduce the amount of on-premise hardware by migrating as many resources into the cloud, resulting in energy conservation and a lower energy bill.

2. Remote employees can help you decrease your carbon footprint

Allowing your employees to work remotely will help you increase productivity – as they will have a flexible schedule and the possibility to work from anywhere, anytime, and using any device, reduce the carbon footprint connected to the number of cars on the road – as they will no longer need the daily commute and save costs with a smaller office space – as they will be able to work from anywhere.

3.Green cloud computing helps you go paperless

The cloud offers a secure place where you can store your data and access your files anytime. By going paperless, you reduce your costs as you no longer need to purchase paper products or print any documents whatsoever. This means that you can also cut down on the need to recycle, shred, incinerate, or dispose of your documents in another way, all of which can have a negative impact on the environment.

Are you ready to make the green cloud computing commitment and start reaping its benefits? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!