Industry Voice: Carbon-Aware Computing: What it Means for Cloud Vendors and VARs

Carbon emissions have become a global concern in the past few decades. As businesses and governments continue to implement strategies aimed at reducing their carbon footprint, IT firms and providers are not being left out of the picture. Here is a look at the concept of carbon-aware computing and what it means for cloud vendors and value-added resellers.

What Does Carbon-Aware Computing Mean?

Carbon-aware computing, or green computing, refers to strategies that companies use to carry out computing operations in smarter ways to help our planet. Businesses can minimise the carbon intensity of electrical power by considering where (location) and when (time) electricity is cleaner before carrying out their operations.

When computers and servers run on electricity made from coal or gas, they create pollution. Instead of running these workloads without considering the implications in terms of energy usage, a carbon-aware company seeks ways to schedule or relocate these workloads to periods or locations where there is access to renewable or clean energy, such as solar or wind power. Beyond efficiently using energy, these strategies intelligently reduce the carbon emission ratio.

The core strategies of carbon-aware computing can be categorised into four points:

1. Rescheduling tasks that are not urgent to periods when green energy is more available.
2. Selecting locations where carbon is low for operations.
3. Using real-time data about carbon intensity levels to adjust and plan energy usage.
4. Increasing awareness about carbon intensity and reporting usage transparently.

Why Does it Matter Now?

Cloud computing has gained a significant edge over traditional on-site data hosting solutions, where companies host and manage their software. However, businesses can’t ignore the fact that cloud computing solutions use up massive amounts of energy. Thanks to international treaties, governments are enacting stringent rules, while businesses are revamping their operations to align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) mandates.

The onus is now on tech companies to manage and reduce their carbon footprint. Even companies that rely solely on cloud computing services are being assessed, and many are seeking service providers that meet green energy sustainability goals.

The Green Computing Movement Across Industries

The push toward sustainable computing practices isn't limited to traditional tech companies. Many industries are actively embracing green initiatives, including manufacturing, healthcare, finance, retail, and transportation. Even sectors such as online gaming are making strides, with online platforms like online casino NZ implementing energy-efficient server operations and carbon offset programs. This widespread adoption demonstrates how carbon reduction strategies are becoming essential across the business landscape, regardless of industry.

What Does This Mean for Cloud Vendors?

For providers of cloud hosting services, carbon-aware computing comes with opportunities and challenges. One way the concept impacts cloud service providers is the need for optimising infrastructure. These companies are now recreating systems to accommodate renewable energy and use data centers that are cost- and carbon-efficient.

In addition, these companies use systemic load shifting to move workloads across regions or delay execution according to carbon forecasts. Microsoft Azure, for example, uses this system to migrate flexible workloads to locations using solar or wind energy instead of sites depending on fossil fuels. The system assesses the carbon intensity of electricity in these locations and distributes workloads accordingly.

Carbon-aware computing also requires companies to transparently report their carbon footprints. The Carbon Footprint tool, run by Google Cloud, can help companies take note of the carbon emissions released due to their energy usage.

What Opportunities Does This Create for VARs?

Value added resellers are in a strategic position in this discourse as they can act as intermediaries between cloud vendors and their clients. As a VAR, carbon-aware computing can add to value proposition in the following ways:

1. They can create eco-friendly products that use carbon-aware cloud hosting and offer them to organisations that are seeking environmentally sustainable solutions.
2. VARs can offer consulting services to organisations that are looking for ways to minimise the carbon impact of their computing operations.
3. VARs can offer training and support for companies that want to include sustainability in their tech operations.

Why Adopt Carbon-Aware Strategies?

Carbon-aware computing offers some benefits beyond reducing a company’s carbon footprint and, consequently, improving the environment.

It is More Cost-efficient

Intelligent reassignment of workloads helps minimise the cost of power usage. In certain jurisdictions, fossil fuel-dependent electricity attracts higher bills and taxes. Carbon-aware computing is also believed to prolong the lifespan of hardware, allowing businesses to save money on repurchases.

It Boosts Reputation

Companies that incorporate sustainability principles in their products and operations tend to earn the respect and loyalty of customers.

Future Compliance Advantage

By using carbon-aware strategies, companies position themselves to avoid possible fines while making it easy to comply with future regulations regarding eco-friendly IT operations.

Market Opportunities

When eco-certifications and carbon-conscious practices are documented and expressed, it can give a company an advantage in the pursuit of green funding and market access.

What Are the Challenges of Carbon-Aware Computing?

Carbon-aware computing is still a developing concept that is fraught with challenges, such as the reliability and complexity of real-time data, possible performance issues during workload relocation, and the need for significantly reengineering systems to handle carbon-aware integration properly. These challenges, however, are being tackled by strategic partnerships and the integration of tools and platforms.

A Carbon-Aware Future

Carbon-aware computing is not a trend that will fade; if anything, the world will embrace more green energy usage. For value-added resellers, it provides an opportunity to offer services to cloud hosting providers and their clients. For cloud vendors, it is the next step in the line of sustainability.