As the need for digital infrastructure continues to increase, the sustainability of data centers has increasingly been called into question in recent years. With Google’s data centers reportedly achieving 1.5 times greater energy efficiency than the industry average, the conversation around how data centers impact overall emissions is evolving. Data centers represent 40 percent of overall IT emissions today. This is accounting for what emissions a company produces in both their day-to-day operations, as well as emissions from creating each device. In this article, we’ll explore the challenges of measuring data center sustainability. It further highlights the dire need for improved and broader frameworks to effectively measure and disclose emissions.
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is the heart of the matter in this discussion. It gets companies reporting their emissions under existing frameworks. These dated guidelines are incomplete. They might ignore emissions from data center related operations, including from the devices they help support. As companies like Microsoft invest in sustainable solutions, including nuclear power, the urgency to refine measurement techniques becomes increasingly apparent.
Understanding Emissions in Data Centers
As mission critical facilities, data centers are key components of our modern IT ecosystem, accounting for a large share of our nation’s energy usage. They are projected to account for 6.7 to 12 percent of total electricity usage in the United States by 2028. This forecast paints a clear picture of the increased need to optimize energy usage and reduce harmful environmental repercussions.
Although it’s pretty common knowledge that data center operations are responsible for emissions, the breakdown shows a different story. Operations account for 60 percent of data center emissions, in terms of PUE. Unfortunately, this figure accounts for just an eighth of overall emissions. As a whole, embodied carbon — the full lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with construction — accounts for 16 percent of data center greenhouse gas emissions. This underscores their outsized role in driving emissions. This figure is in stark contrast to device emissions, in which 75 percent happens during manufacturing.
The typical data center server is replaced every five years. This replacement process only contributes more lifecycle emissions associated with these facilities. The cycle of server turnover raises a deeper question of just how tenable the way we do things now is. The advantages to industry from extending device lifecycles would be significant.
The Importance of Accurate Measurement
Emissions tracking and reporting within the data center industry is still in its infancy. While companies meticulously track power usage effectiveness to three decimal places and optimize water usage intensity with precision, they often overlook a comprehensive analysis of total emissions. This glaring omission leaves us with an understanding that is fundamentally lacking in terms of a data center’s environmental impact.
Currently available measurement frameworks largely focus on metrics of operational efficiency. Yet, they fail to sufficiently address the need to account for embodied carbon and emissions related to the manufacturing of devices. This gap speaks to the need for a more comprehensive method to assess emissions from both data centers and devices.
Beyond rectifying operational inefficiencies, extending device lifecycles could be a major contributor to lowering global emissions. By prolonging the usable life of devices such as smartphones and laptops, companies could achieve substantial reductions in their overall carbon footprints. The embodied carbon in devices is most alarming. Specifically, 45 percent of total device emissions occur during manufacturing, exceeding the 40 percent produced by data centers.
Industry Collaboration and Future Solutions
As the demand for data center sustainability continues to increase, all industry leaders have a responsibility to come together and create improved sustainability measurement frameworks. For example, companies such as Microsoft are already exploring smart new solutions that go far beyond just more paint and stripes. They’re pouring money into renewables, including nuclear energy.
The CSRD mandates that organizations transparently report their emissions, but without robust frameworks for measurement, companies may struggle to comply effectively. A more cohesive effort would make it easier to gauge how well the technology sector is achieving its sustainability promises.
Data centers have redefined energy use trends and operational efficiencies. Working together, by the innovation that stems from this partnership, the industry can attain remarkable breakthroughs for both our planet and company sustainability. Through collaboration, by sharing best practices or investing in more cutting-edge technologies, organizations can start to raise the bar for sustainability on a larger scale.