What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, normally referring to data storage and computing power, without direct ownership or physical hardware. If your tech company is wanting to achieve net zero, cloud computing could be the way forward.
Why should your company want to reach net zero?
Companies that have net zero schemes or environmental goals are more attractive to employees and customers. It is shown that 92% of people are more likely to trust a company supporting environmental issues. Aside from the more obvious environmental benefits, it is far better to be prepared for the UK net zero target of 2050, which could easily be brought forward.
So how does cloud computing help your organisation reach net zero?
- It’s flexible
Cloud computing allows your company to scale its IT systems with demand, this flexibility reduces wasted energy if the utilisation rate of your systems decreases. Increased efficiency can save money as well as help you reach net zero. Using private data centres is not very flexible compared to cloud computing, especially as they cannot be scaled with the progress of your business as easily.
- Uses less electricity than physical hardware
Data hardware systems tend to require far more electricity than cloud computing to be run, through their cooling systems, uninterruptible power supplies, maintenance and electricity just to run which can emit lots of greenhouse gases.
Even just moving to cloud computing for simple programs such as Google and e-mails could reduce energy consumption in your business by 87% (calculated in a study at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory).
- The cloud is more energy efficient
Cloud computing allows companies to be able to run numerous applications simultaneously whilst also being able to share server space with other organisations safely. This means that less servers are working to process the same amount of data, consequently decreasing your energy usage and your carbon emissions.
- Cuts the range of electronic travel
On demand cloud data centres are typically built near to their power sources to save electricity being wasted on transmissions from to and from. This saves more electricity than physical hardware centres as these do not have the luxury of being built anywhere and are unlikely to be closer to their sources unless built by big companies like Amazon or Google.
- Work from home
An indirect effect of using cloud computing is how it facilitates working from home. This can lower greenhouse gas emissions from commutes for staff as well as processes occurring in the office such as using the microwave and kettle, which will aid your net zero plan.
The health of our climate has become a large issue which will affect all our lives, therefore changes in businesses, such as upgrading to cloud computing services, could prove vital in our fight against climate change.
