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By Alberto Jessurun / August 18, 2021 / Blog

How Data Centers Are Becoming More Sustainable

Around the globe, companies are focusing more on energy efficiency and cloud computing. Here’s how a push for green initiatives is impacting data centers.

Key Takeaways:

6 ways data centers are becoming more sustainable:
1. Carbon negative commitments
2. Renewable energy sources
3. Edge computing
4. Embracing innovations and updates
5. Focusing on the negawatt
6. Increased transparency
Big companies will continue to set the precedent for more sustainable practices

Sustainability considerations are one of the top priorities for organizations in a variety of industries, and data is no exception. In 2018, the data center industry around the globe used about 1% of the world’s electricity, according to a Data Center Frontier report, so it’s no small feat for these organizations to lessen their impact significantly.

With a global shift to cloud computing and cloud dependence, many enterprises have already reduced their carbon footprint drastically. Gartner predicts that in 2021, public cloud end-user spending will grow by 18%, with the cloud making up 14.2% of IT spending in 2024, an increase from 9.1% in 2020.

Green data centers are the way of the future as organizations find new ways to save electricity and find better power sources. How are data centers becoming more sustainable? Here are six ways data is going green and a look at what the future may hold.

6 ways data centers are becoming more sustainable

Data centers have to continue transitioning to sustainable practices, as most industries and customer bases now demand more sustainable infrastructure. Here are six ways data centers are changing:

1. Carbon negative commitments

Some of the biggest cloud providers have made recent public commitments to sustainability. For example, Amazon Web Services says that it will use 100% renewable energy sources by 2025, and Microsoft has committed to being carbon negative by 2030. These shifts will cause big changes in the cloud computing and data center world for years to come.

2. Renewable energy

Renewable sources of energy, like wind and solar power, are being adopted by leading cloud providers. That includes Google, which incorporated power purchase agreements for renewable energy, an initiative that has since been adopted by other providers. Incorporating these energy sources helps businesses reduce their carbon impact while continuing to deliver a high level of service.

3. Edge computing

Another practice that makes the data industry more sustainable is edge computing, which is when data is processed and stored closer to the data sources or at the network periphery. This means the data computing takes place away from the central data center and instead happens where the data is generated. When data is stored and used on local devices, network traffic and data center usage is reduced, which reduces the overall carbon footprint.

4. Embracing innovations and updates

Sometimes a simple upgrade is all that’s needed to be more sustainable and energy-efficient. Any innovation and enhancement in how a data center powers its servers can lead to electricity savings and a lower carbon footprint.

5. Focusing on the negawatt

Another focus is lowering the amount of power being used in data centers. The term negawatt represents energy that is saved using more efficient practices, and more data centers have been focusing on this concept. Every watt that’s saved can reduce up to 3 watts of equivalent fossil fuels that are extraneous, according to a report from Turbonomic. So, when watts are saved, cloud waste is curbed, leading to lower carbon emissions.

6. Increased transparency

More data center organizations are practicing transparency by sharing their green practices and steps to becoming more sustainable. This allows them to continually assess their success while also setting important precedents for the industry that others will follow. When big companies like Amazon and Google change their practices and share their progress, more customers will choose to use their services and other companies will have to try to stay competitive by shifting their own mindset.

What’s in store for data’s future?

It’s no surprise that the data center industry is taking these important steps toward sustainability. Green data centers and a shift to locally stored data are a must for a world with greater dependence on cloud computing and an increase in Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

The cloud wastes an estimated $26.6 billion in resources each year, so any improvements in efficiency and renewable energy sources will ensure that energy and money aren’t being wasted to power the infrastructure.

It’s really up to the large organizations to keep taking strides in the right direction, as they have the funds and resources to explore these options and allow smaller organizations to follow. However, data centers of all sizes can start incorporating these changes for a better future.

Finding the right storage solution with Unisol

When you’re looking for servers, storage systems, or networking equipment, Unisol International is here to assist. We provide a range of technology solutions that help companies improve efficiency and get set up for a more successful future. Our products and services help you accomplish digital transformation and incorporate technologies like automation.

Contact Unisol International to learn more about our storage and server solutions.

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