The sustainable future: Energy Transition and Green Computing

Almost every person deals with computing devices like smartphones, tablets, desktops, or laptops on a daily basis. According to Statista, at least 78% of the global population in 2020 had at least one smartphone, and this percentage continues to climb. But what is the impact of computing devices on the environment??

In the first few years of the 1990’s global warming, greenhouse gases, and carbon emissions were major concerns for society in general. In 1992, the United Nations already warned about the problems that the uncontrolled emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could cause to future generations. The Kyoto protocol was one of the first international agreements aimed at containing the emission of these gases into the atmosphere by at least 5.2% compared to 1990 levels, in the period between 2008 and 2012.

It was also in 1992 that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Energy Star program, which boosted Green Computing practices. According to the researcher Albert Sabban, there were 4 main goals for the Green Computing movement:

Energy Consumption - Minimizing the electricity consumption of computers and their peripheral devices and using them in an eco-friendly manner

Green disposal: Disposing and recycling, unwanted computing devices

Green development and design: Design and development of energy-efficient computers, servers, printers, projectors, and other digital devices. Usage of energy harvesting technologies in the computer industry.

Green manufacturing: Recycling electronic components and modules during the manufacturing of computers and their peripheral devices. Minimizing waste during the manufacturing of computers and other subsystems to reduce the environmental impact of these activities.

Aligned with the principles of sustainability, Green computing emphasizes lowing energy consumption and encourages recycling and reusability of materials from electronic waste. Besides, alternative energy sources, such as wind energy, solar power, and geothermal (among others) are side by side with this trend.?

In 2019, around 11% of global primary energy came from renewable sources. Hydroelectric power is one of the oldest and largest sources of low-carbon energy, being responsible for at least 60% of renewable generation, followed by wind and solar energy.?

You can learn more about energy transition and other related trends in Vidya’s exclusive ebook: Renewable, Decarbonization, and Digital Twin: the Path to Industry Sustainable Growth in 2022

With technology development and computing devices becoming more accessible it is necessary to think about how they are impacting the environment.?

Furthermore, after the COVID-19 breakout, remote work is rising high. Although implementing home-office practices can reduce emissions from travel, it is important that companies instruct employees about the proper disposal of computing devices.?

Besides companies' initiatives, 2022 industries are looking for a sustainable operation by implementing technological devices and investing in renewable energy sources. In that way, software and hardware companies, whether working for industries or not, should invest in education for a clean future.?

Green Computing is a good way to educate ourselves and others about practices to lower the environmental impact, and it is vital for all of us to think in a more sustainable and smart way.