Digital services have an environmental impact and companies are making moves
Every time you browse the internet, stream a television series, use social media, or log in to your internet bank, a process starts in a data center. (In fact, just reading this article is starting a process in a data center.) If that data center is a power hungry, coal fired one you are contributing to climate change — most likely unknowingly.
There is however some good news. As businesses become more aware of the carbon footprint of their data centers, many are taking steps to improve their sustainability.
Hyperscalers are investing millions if not billions of dollars to reduce and ultimately remove carbon emissions from their data center operations. We know from our work with them just how seriously they take this issue as sustainability is a significant factor for many companies in choosing to locate in the Nordics where 100% renewable energy is not only plentiful but cheap.
By utilizing hydroelectric power instead of fossil fuel over the last decade, DigiPlex alone has prevented nearly 1,000 tons of carbon emissions. That’s equal to what a gas fueled car would emit driving 4,800 trips to the moon and back. Using inexpensive, clean power also saves our customers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Plus, the Nordic region has the added benefit of being cool — our data centers benefit from the ‘free cooling’ enabled by our climate thus massively reducing the power consumed.
Consumer activism is playing an important role in driving businesses of all sizes and across all sectors to be more transparent about the true environmental cost of their activities — including the provision of digital services. According to a survey we conducted, two-thirds of Americans are willing to consider a streaming service with a lower carbon footprint if given a choice.
It is inevitable that more consumers and regulators will demand greater transparency to allow individuals and businesses to make informed choices about the environmental impact of services they use. Those businesses that can clearly and precisely point to verifiable figures on the sustainability of their data centers will be better placed to thrive in this environment.
