Green IT : A 360-Degree Scan of Current Research , Projects and Initiatives
and benchmarks in the area of software . Energy savings and reduced emissions using IT can be called Green by IT . In particular , current technology trends such as the Internet of Things or Artificial Intelligence can be used to make processes in industry more efficient . “
Energy-efficient hardware and software not only ensure lower greenhouse gas emissions , but also a longer useful life of the equipment . The goal of this research was to identify current research topics and relevant aspects of Green IT and to obtain a broad overview of the entire subject area .
To achieve this , the available scientific literature and ongoing research activities on energyefficient software development and use were reviewed , and Green IT initiatives and existing Green IT labels were identified .
Green IT is a combination of two buzzwords that are more important than ever in an era of digitization and advancing climate change and stands for environmentally friendly and sustainable ICT solutions . In addition to the entire lifecycle of an ICT solution , from production to disposal , the software that runs on an ICT device and the energy supply of the devices also play an important role . Green IT first came to public attention in 1992 when the US Environmental Protection Agency launched Energy Star , a program to identify consumer electronics that meet energy efficiency standards .
Another event that boosted the popularity of Green IT was in 2007 / 2008 , when Green IT was the main theme of the Cebit trade fair . The main aspects at that time were : recycling , green by IT , energy efficiency and less toxic substances in the production of hardware .
IT can be used as an effective tool against climate change , but the carbon footprint caused by IT itself must not be forgotten . According to a study by " the Shift Project ," 2 digital technologies are responsible for 4 % of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide . At the same time , energy consumption is increasing by almost 9 % annually . However , according to the study , this growth can be reduced to only 1.5 % per year through adapted digital practices . The energy intensity , a measure of the energy inefficiency of an economy , of the ICT sector is growing by 4 % annually , which contrasts with the trend of the energy intensity of the global gross domestic product , which is decreasing by 1.8 % annually .
But what exactly does green IT deal with ? The most important aspects include 3 :
2
3
S . Murugesan , “ Harnessing Green IT : Principles and Practices ,” IT Professional , February 2008 . 6
April 2023