Data centres are essential for modern life, providing the infrastructure for us to access the internet, shop online, and stream TV shows. However, these services come with a cost: data centres require huge amounts of electricity to keep them running. In Ireland, for example, this demand for electricity is so high that it could take up 27% of the national electricity output by 2029. This has prompted the Irish government to make sustainability a requirement for new data centres.
Technology is being used to make data centres more energy-efficient. At the Grange Castle data centre on the outskirts of Dublin, for example, software from Eaton is used to manage the connection to the electricity grid. This means that if the grid is under strain, the electricity to the data centre can be shut off and back-up systems will immediately kick in. All data centres also have sophisticated standby systems to keep them running in case of any power outages.
There are various ways to make the internet less power-thirsty. Data centres can be designed in more efficient ways, and renewable energy sources can be used to power them. It is also important to reduce the amount of energy used for data storage and processing, as well as to increase the efficiency of data transmission. By taking these steps, we can ensure that the internet is more sustainable and more energy-efficient.
2023-02-09 19:03:39
Source from www.bbc.co.uk
With recent events like the California wildfires, climate change and its consequences have been worrying a great deal of people. It is also important to consider that our increasingly digital lives also have an impact. Not only do servers need to stay running and cooled off, but the data stored in them takes up a lot of space. There are several ways in which we can give back to the environment when it comes to the internet; one of these ways is for us to re-phrase the power-thirsty internet.
As the internet continues to expand and become part of our everyday lives, fewer people think about how it requires a lot of energy to keep it running. Even if the majority of internet traffic comes from large industrial centers, we can all do our part to make sure the power used to keep it running is as efficient as possible.
The first step is to reduce the amount of energy needed to keep the internet running. This can be done through more efficient technologies such as server virtualization and cloud computing. These technologies help to reduce energy consumption by consolidating multiple physical servers into fewer virtual servers, using fewer resources. In addition, there are technologies available that can help manage and reduce the amount of power used in web hosting, such as efficient firmware, dynamic power management, and advanced power metering.
Another way to make the internet less power-thirsty is to increase the use of renewable energy sources for powering the servers and the data centers. This can be accomplished by shifting from the traditional sources of electricity – such as coal and natural gas – to renewable sources such as solar, wind and geothermal. This can be done through both the use of advanced solar arrays installed at data centers and the purchase of renewable energy credits from utilities.
Lastly, we can rephrase our language when talking about the internet and power consumption. Instead of saying it is power-thirsty, we can reframe the conversation to be about the ways in which we can make the internet more energy-efficient. By taking a few simple actions, we can all be part of the global effort to reduce energy consumption and our carbon footprints, while also conserving natural resources.
These small steps can help to make the internet more sustainable and reinforce our commitment to the environment. By reframing the conversation and taking action, we are helping to shape our digital world into a more energy-efficient future.