Sustainability is becoming an increasingly crucial topic for businesses. The rise in calls for environmental preservation has made it even more important for organisations to make efforts to reduce their carbon emissions. June 5th marked the biggest international day for the environment, World Environment Day (WED) which is celebrated annually to promote awareness and action for the protection of the environment. However, awareness about sustainability should be spread throughout the year.
There are many initiatives being taken by governments to achieve net zero however, significantly more needs to be done, as greenhouse emissions continue to rise. According to IEA, global CO2 emissions grew by 321 million tonnes in 2022, reaching a new high of more than 36.8 billion tonnes. Certainly, everyone is responsible for driving sustainability. However, at a collective level, organisations have a larger role to play. Leading companies like Amazon, Apple and many others have already started to accelerate their sustainability efforts, but greater participation is required to achieve net zero. Businesses at every level must play their part by reducing their carbon footprint.
One of the great opportunities to do this is the migration to cloud technology. Cloud computing sustainability or ‘Green Cloud’ refers to an environment-friendly cloud that reduces carbon emissions and promotes the use of renewable energy to reduce energy needs. The cloud, whether you opt for a public, private, or multi-cloud network architecture system, offers numerous opportunities to streamline operations, optimise resource utilisation, and minimise energy consumption. By harnessing the capabilities of the cloud, organisations can not only improve efficiency but also contribute to a greener future.
Harnessing VDI to Reduce Emissions
With virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), organisations can reduce their overall power consumption. As PC devices that rely on hosted virtual desktops instead of locally installed applications, consume less electricity compared to traditional desktops and produce lower heat and emissions. What’s more, VDI allows businesses to seamlessly perform regular maintenance and updates from a centralised location. This not only helps companies optimise processes but also saves potential emissions caused by unnecessary hardware replacements, and transportation.
The extent of the emissions saved depends on the VDI environment itself, with the savings being lower in the on-premise environment, higher in hybrid environments, and most significant in only cloud-based VDI. Regardless, any VDI solution serves as a better alternative to traditional IT infrastructure and helps organisations achieve greater efficiency and sustainability.
DaaS: A Step Ahead Towards Sustainable IT
To reduce their carbon footprint while focusing on cost efficiency, companies can consider using Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS). DaaS in this context is a form of VDI hosted exclusively in the cloud and managed by a third-party provider that allows companies to opt for a pay-as-you-go model.
In addition to its expensive nature, on-premises IT infrastructure also produces more heat, having a negative impact on the environment. Companies that rely on on-premises infrastructure require more hardware – such as desktops, hard drives, cables – to run their servers smoothly. This hardware creates additional disposable waste, increased heat and can also result in increased power consumption.
DaaS helps businesses eliminate the need for on-premises services by reducing hardware to a minimum. Each Employee can access a workstation adapted to their requirements on any device independently of the hardware set-up itself. This technology enables organisations to minimise their waste not just for usage of hardware, but also caused by regular maintenance or updates.
Furthermore, DaaS allows organisations to manage their resources efficiently. For example, when scaling up and hiring new staff, DaaS users do not need to invest highly in new resources. Instead, they can leverage their provider’s ongoing resources to scale by just paying extra for the services they use. This reduces any unnecessary power usage, heat production and extra waste, positioning the technology as a game-changer to reduce both emissions and costs. This makes DaaS an eco-friendly alternative and a cost-effective choice.
Wider Cloud Adoption and Sustainability
By accelerating cloud adoption, organisations not only reduce the carbon footprint within their businesses but also play a key role in the wider sustainability movement. Many cloud providers are now making significant efforts to overcome environmental challenges by opting for sustainable alternatives to consume renewable energy – such as solar panels and wind turbines. Not only do these sources emit zero carbon emissions, but they also do not require any water for cooling down, having a minimal impact on the environment.
In today’s digital world where leveraging technology is essential, organisations must not overlook the drawbacks of these technological advancements. Of course, companies can not avoid harnessing technology. However, sustainable choices can help organisations minimise their environmental impact. The future is likely to see a significant increase in the need for sustainable technologies, those who start making the right choices from today can remain a step ahead.
By Dominik Birgelen, CEO of oneclick
