How To Make The Internet More Sustainable With Renewable Energy

For the sake of the planet, the internet is going to need to become more sustainable.

17:00 01 September 2021

Nowadays, roughly 4.6 billion people use the internet each day, which is 59.9% of the global population. Most of these people will think of the internet as ephemeral, mainly due to the terms “web” and “cloud”. It is forgotten that the internet requires servers to host all the data. These servers produce vast amounts of emissions and leave an enormous carbon footprint.

 

It is hoped that by 2025, there will be 75 billion internet-connected devices in the world. The IT industry refers to these devices as the “Internet of Things” (IoT). These devices include personal computers and smartphones and various devices that are using the internet in subtler ways - like smartwatches, smart home systems and smart vehicles.

 

Many internet-connected technologies are playing a pivotal role in the transition to clean energy solutions. For example, smart meters allow people to monitor their household energy use and take steps to reduce it. As fantastic as this sounds, the reality is that the more we rely on the internet to process, use and store data (such as that of a smart metre), the more power the internet uses. For the sake of the planet, the internet is going to need to become more sustainable.

 

Power-Sucking Servers

Chinese multinational technology company, Huawei Technologies, put together a research paper that made some shocking discoveries. For example, they estimate that the IT industry could be using 20% of all electricity generated and emit almost 5.5% of the world’s carbon emissions by 2025. This figure is more than most countries’ total carbon emissions – apart from China, India and the USA.

 

An increasing amount of IT energy consumption derives from data centres. These are huge buildings that are used to store data and computer hardware – which the majority plug directly into their local electricity grid. Unfortunately, this means that renewable energy sources in most countries are not powering the data centres.

 

Roughly 50% of all data centres are “hyper-scale”, so they will house over 5,000 servers and take up around 1,000 m² of space. These hyper-scale data centres are usually used by the major players in the data industry – such as Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Amazingly, AWS alone hosts 5.8% of all the sites found on the internet.

 

Creating a Sustainable Internet For The Future

With global warming being such a concern, many of these data centres are trying to introduce green policies to reduce their environmental impact. In the process, they are also looking to obtain cheaper energy bills. For example, Google declared that they aim to achieve 24/7 renewable energy-powered data centres by 2030. However, to run their data centres off renewable energy alone, they need to locate them in regions that are abundant with solar, wind, geothermal or hydroelectric power.

 

Another green trend has also emerged over the past few years – web hosting powered by renewable energy. A growing number of website owners are choosing to pay platform providers, like AWS, for space to store their files on giant web servers. Similar to Google, AWS is also working on a long-term commitment to using 100% renewable energy.

 

In an attempt to lower the environmental impact of the colossal energy usage, some IT companies purchase offsets. These are payments that theoretically compensate for carbon emissions by supporting low-carbon energy generation. Others buy energy from renewable energy companies to match their total fossil fuel energy consumption.

 

Solar Powered Internet

Another way we could potentially surf more sustainably is through trying to use websites powered by solar energy – such as Low Tech Magazine and Solar Protocol. These environmentally friendly websites are powered entirely by solar energy. In addition, responsive web design strategies are considered, including reduced-colour images and default typefaces, enabling the websites to operate more efficiently based on real-time estimation of available sunlight.

 

The eco-friendly ‘Solar Protocol’ website runs through a network of solar servers situated around the world. When someone visits the website, the content is delivered from the server obtaining the greatest amount of solar energy at that precise moment in time. The website resolution is also dynamically and alters based on the energy being produced by the solar panel.

 

On days when the solar energy or battery falls behind a set threshold (such as on an overcast day), the website comes low-resolution. The site can even revert to a basic text-only format when there is very little sun and low solar power reserves. The challenge website developers face is how they can scale on-site energy generation technologies like these to help run the vast number of sites currently on the web. Making subtle adjustments to images or page resolution during times of low solar generation could considerably impact energy consumption – but not affect the website visitor experience.

 

For anyone who owns a website, whether a personal blog or a multinational business site, sustainable web design should be a priority. Sustainable web design is a mix of protecting the environment, maintaining website performance, and improving usability standards. These practices can be applied to the life cycle of any digital tool – such as websites, apps, and online media. It will help to maximise efficiency, increase usability, and improve performance. Sustainable web design can also reduce the environmental impact of all digital products and services through measures such as green hosting, minimising electricity use, and carbon measurement and reduction.

 

Sustainable web design is also a component of a larger Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) strategy – that includes environmental, social, economic, and technological practices. Thanks to increased public concern for the environment, there is now pressure for businesses to improve their CRD practices. As a business, the advantage of using renewable technology like solar-powered websites will improve the business’ green reputation and reduce energy costs.

 

Closing Thoughts

It is positive that there is a global movement of digital sustainability being prioritised over flash designs. Organisations’ day-to-day business practices impact how successfully they are at adopting more sustainable digital products, services, and procedures. Acting in a responsible manner and focusing on sustainability through turning to solar companies to power your digital tools will not only help save the plant – it may also lead to improved business performance.