Optimize data’s carbon footprint for a sustainable future

Data is part of the solution

According to the Ministry of Communications and Information, data centers account for 7% of Singapore’s total electricity usage. If no action is taken, data’s voracious appetite for energy will continue to grow unabated as digitalization accelerates.

However, it’s unrealistic for organizations to stop producing or storing data in today’s world. Rather, they need to get better use out of their data.

Only 32% of data available to enterprises is put to work; the remaining 68% is not even used, according to research by IDC. Organizations can reduce their carbon footprint by learning how much of their data they use and need and getting rid of the rest.

Moving to the cloud, invest in tech

Organizations can further lower their carbon emissions by moving their data to the cloud. A forecast from IDC shows the continued adoption of cloud computing could prevent the emission of more than 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from 2021 through 2024. A key benefit of the cloud is the greater efficiency of aggregated compute resources.

Creating a greener data ecosystem

To further mitigate the environmental impact of data, companies can source for cloud and data center service providers that invest in technologies that increase resource utilization and leverage their scale to influence the energy generation mix to renewable sources.

Furthermore, organizations should look for service providers that design and outfit their data centers for energy efficiency. The energy optimization measures they can implement include leveraging ambient cooling and cold-aisle containment features to optimize the energy used to cool the equipment. Efficient lighting and smart controls can also play a crucial role in lowering data centers’ carbon emissions in the long run.

Paving the way for a more sustainable future

The window of opportunity for us to act is fast closing. As organizations continue to generate, process and store copious volumes of data, they should leverage a ‘cloud-first’ strategy to create a highly sustainable approach for data storage. This can significantly lower their carbon footprint and make a more meaningful impact on our environment. ??????

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