Data Centers Are Bigger Than Ever, Can They Be Greener?
February 17, 2022 | Emily Fu | Commercial Observer
If there are a few silver linings from the global pandemic, a 6 percent drop in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 might be one of them, as the spread of the highly contagious virus locked people at home and led to more infrequent car driving and air travel.
However, more people working from home causes its own environmental harm. That’s because the increased internet traffic from additional video conferencing, online shopping and entertainment streaming requires more computational power from data centers worldwide.
It’s not just about binging Netflix or hosting Zoom calls, either. Data centers are also a vital artery for online banking, autonomous vehicles and a range of smart technologies for buildings, city blocks and other property.
All of this means that data centers already account for more than 2 percent of the total U.S. electricity use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
