In fact, projections indicate that by 2028, electricity used by these facilities will account for between 6.7% and 12% of all electricity consumed in the U.S. The ever changing digital space makes all of these elements even more daunting. It’s important to understand why data centers— and all the devices that rely on them— are bad for the environment. Our detailed analysis reveals that carbon emissions from end-user devices are much greater than those from data centers. This key finding highlights the immediate and pressing need to change the conversation on sustainability metrics.
At that rate, the cost to the environment is tremendous with more than one billion smartphones recycled each year. This huge turnover creates the equivalent of about 50Mt of CO2 emissions each year, just from smartphones manufacturing. Make no mistake, data center operations do play a role in global emissions. We’re not fully addressing the embodied carbon from devices either.
The Emissions Landscape
When considering where the most IT emissions come from as the iceberg image above indicates, devices emerge as the largest contributor. In fact, end-user devices account for 60% of total IT emissions vs 40% in data centers. More specifically, device embodied carbon makes up 45% of total emissions while data center embodied carbon only makes up 16%.
The way these devices operate — i.e., their usage — further complicates the emissions equation. Interestingly, device operation now contributes more to total emissions (15%) than data center operations (24%). Given that data centers already contribute 3-5% toward global carbon emissions, these statistics are alarming. We need to focus on end-user devices first and foremost in our sustainability conversations.
It’s the production of these devices that is particularly worrisome. About 3 quarters of device emissions during manufacturing, known as embodied carbon. The production of a single smartphone generates an estimated 50kg of CO₂e. In comparison, a laptop’s embodied carbon is significantly higher, up to about 200 kg CO2e. This stark contrast highlights the growing need to tackle emissions caused by device manufacturing.
The Case for Extended Lifecycles
One major opportunity to mitigate emissions from devices is by increasing their life spans. Today, the average lifespan of a smartphone is two years and laptops three to four years. Just extending smartphone lifecycles to three years rather than two would dramatically reduce annual manufacturing emissions. We would actually be able to cut emissions by a whopping 33%! This method reduces emissions and encourages users to consume more sustainably.
In light of these findings, industry initiatives such as GreenSKUs work to lower embodied carbon by a realistic 8%. These kinds of programs reward manufacturers for using sustainable practices at every stage of the production pipeline. By prioritizing sustainability in device manufacturing and promoting longer lifecycles, the tech industry could significantly decrease its overall carbon footprint.
The Role of Data Centers
Indeed, data centers have become a focal point in discussions around carbon emissions. Their contribution to overall harms is lesser as compared to much larger end-user devices emissions. Data center embodied carbon already equals 16% of total emissions, with their operation contributing an additional 24%. Servers within data centers are usually on a five year replacement cycle, enabling constant updates to more energy efficient models.
Data centers are growing and using more and more electricity. It’s essential for operators to adopt energy-efficient practices and transition towards renewable energies. By investing in green technologies and optimizing energy usage, data centers can minimize their environmental impact while supporting the growing demand for digital services.