Cloud computing and the journey to net zero - why GreenOps is key to sustainable growth
Author: Chris Hazell, Programme Manager for Cloud, techUK
At a time when our commitment to mitigate the impact of climate change has never been more urgent, a sustainable approach to technology should be at the heart of any digital transformation strategy. This year one of the key themes of techUK's Cloud Week is the intersection of sustainability and cloud optimisation.
Cloud has become a key driver of the UK’s digital economy, giving businesses of all sizes and sectors access to computing resources that are flexible and scalable on-demand. Applications, platforms, data storage and infrastructure can all be delivered as a service, allowing for more flexible and efficient use of resources and potentially a reduction in energy use, water consumption and carbon footprint relative to legacy infrastructure.
This makes it an appealing option for many organisations, with a recent Gartner CEO survey reporting that 70% of business leaders focusing on sustainability initiatives will look to public cloud to achieve these outcomes by 2026. The good news is that many cloud providers recognise this demand and are investing in renewable energy, hardware recycling and more efficient energy and water use in data centres.
The role of cloud in a green transition
By moving to a consumption-based cloud model, businesses can potentially cut their energy use and carbon footprint relative to older legacy infrastructure. Cloud has some inherent advantages over traditional CapEx-based procurement, including more efficient use of hardware through virtualisation and multi-tenancy, the flexibility to dynamically match provisioning of services to business needs, and the ability of customers to benefit from ongoing investments made by cloud providers without the need for their own capital investment.
According to a report by Accenture, cloud utilisation can reduce carbon emissions by 35-45% compared to legacy IT. This is supported by recent research into the energy efficiency of European data centres that suggests the higher utilisation rates and more frequently updated technology of cloud infrastructure could reduce energy usage of running business applications by nearly 80% when compared with on-premises enterprise data centres. Data from Google on electricity savings resulting from a move to cloud paints a similar picture.
However, while cloud has huge potential advantages for carbon savings, achieving the best possible environmental outcomes requires both providers and users of cloud services to take shared responsibility for sustainability and regularly review best practice at every level.
For cloud providers, this means continued investment in energy and resource efficiency and giving customers access to more granular and specific data about the environmental impact of their cloud consumption, including access to Scope 3 data wherever possible.
To achieve the best outcomes for the planet, user behaviour is key.
A “lift and shift” migration followed by a “file and forget” approach to data management can seriously undermine the sustainability benefits of cloud computing
While cloud providers have made huge investments in sustainable infrastructure, moving to cloud will not automatically guarantee the maximum possible reduction in an organisation’s carbon footprint and computing as-a-service does not necessarily equate to sustainability as-a-service. In other words, a “lift and shift” migration followed by a “file and forget” approach to data management can seriously undermine the sustainability benefits of cloud computing.
To maximise the green credentials of cloud, and thereby minimise the impact of our digital infrastructure on the journey to net zero, users of cloud services must recognise that while cloud providers focus on ensuring the sustainability of the cloud, there are important steps they can take to operate more sustainably in the cloud.
A truly sustainable cloud computing strategy means fostering a “GreenOps” culture by adapting FinOps practices to track and report carbon metrics, revising data strategies to minimise the storage of unused “dark data” in the cloud, and harnessing green software principles and cloud-native technologies to develop and deploy more energy-efficient applications.
As an industry, we should take a holistic view of cloud sustainability, considering what we can do as individuals, as organisations, and as a society to consume cloud as efficiently as possible. This approach will be essential as demand for cloud services grows further across the global economy, through more widespread digital transformation and the adoption of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI).
Ultimately, as consumer demand and increasing pressure from governments and investors drives businesses across the economy to look for more climate-friendly technologies, cloud computing can play a key role in delivering a more sustainable future. Learn more about techUK's work in this area by downloading our 2023 insight paper below.
techUK - Committed to Climate Action
Visit our Climate Action Hub to learn more or to register for regular updates.
By 2030, digital technology can cut global emissions by 15%. Cloud computing, 5G, AI and IoT have the potential to support dramatic reductions in carbon emissions in sectors such as transport, agriculture, and manufacturing. techUK is working to foster the right policy framework and leadership so we can all play our part. For more information on how techUK can support you, please visit our Climate Action Hub and click ‘contact us’.
