The cloud: How can it reduce a company’s carbon footprint?

The cloud is an increasingly popular solution for businesses. It offers many advantages, such as cost savings, accessibility, flexibility of use, data security. But did you know it also is good for the environment—and plant? Let’s dive into find out why!

First of all, what does it mean to use the cloud in business?

Leveraging the cloud means opting for on-demand computing services via the web, instead of having physical servers in your company. The cloud lets you outsource IT infrastructure and resources, which can reduce costs and improve efficiency. Businesses can use the cloud to store and manage data, run applications, collaborate online, provide data security and backup, and much more.

What are the environmental benefits of the cloud

Using the cloud instead of on-premise infrastructure can reduce your company’s carbon footprint by up to 98 percent, according to a study jointly produced by Microsoft and WSP.

The cloud offers an environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional on-premisemodel, in which companies manage their own IT infrastructure. In this model, companies must purchase, install and maintain expensive equipment, such as servers, storage systems and networks, to provide IT services to their employees.

This leads to overconsumption of energy, as this equipment requires a constant power supply to operate. In addition, they must be cooled to prevent overheating, which requires even more energy.

The cloud, on the other hand, allows businesses to access computing resources remotely, via the web. Cloud service providers, such as Microsoft Azure, manage the infrastructure needed to deliver IT services to their customers.

This means that companies don't need to manage their own infrastructure, which significantly reduces their energy consumption and carbon footprints. Cloud service providers use massive, highly optimized data centers to deliver services to their customers.

These data centers are designed to maximize energy efficiency using techniques, including virtualization, consolidation and power management. In addition, they often utilize renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and hydroelectricity, to power their data centers.

In addition, the cloud also provides greater flexibility for businesses. Companies can easily increase or decrease their use of IT resources as needed, without having to invest in expensive new equipment.

What is Microsoft's commitment to the environment?

Microsoft Azure has been carbon-neutral since 2012; it is aiming to become carbon-negative by 2030. To achieve this, Microsoft Azure uses renewable energy, such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, geothermal solutions, tidal power and biofuels to operate all their data centers, buildings and campuses.

Microsoft has also implemented energy efficiency measures to reduce energy consumption in its data centers, including using more efficient cooling technologies and optimized power management systems.

In addition, Microsoft purchases carbon credits to offset its greenhouse gas emissions, which helps fund emission reduction projects worldwide.

The company continues to work to reduce its overall carbon footprint and to encourage other companies to adopt sustainable practices.

In sum, the cloud offers significant environmental benefits compared to managing on-premise IT assets. Cloud service providers, such as Microsoft Azure, use highly optimized data centers and renewable energy sources to deliver IT services with up to 98% smaller carbon footprints. This makes the cloud an easily and quickly deployable strategy in any business.