According to Goldman Sachs, the growing use of AI is expected to increase global data centre power use by 160% by 2030, potentially doubling the industry’s CO2 emissions. It adds that by 2030, European data centres, including those in the UK, will require the same amount of power as the Netherlands, Greece and Portugal combined. To mitigate the impact of this rise and to ensure net zero targets remain on track, sustainability has become paramount for both hosting providers and website owners. Here, we examine the environmental impact of hosting and what is being done to tackle it.
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How hosting affects the environment
Everything businesses and users do online uses energy and potentially contributes to climate change. According to 8 Billion Trees, a single page view of a typical website generates 0.5g of CO2 . A website with 10,000 page views a month, therefore, would generate 60kg of CO2 a year. While this is a drop in the ocean compared to Google’s 132.3 billion visits per month , when you add up all the CO2 generated from the world’s 193 million active websites, the carbon footprint of the internet is huge.
Data centres are the biggest users of energy when it comes to the internet. Operating and cooling the millions of servers around the world takes enormous amounts of electricity. According to the International Energy Agency, global data transmission networks use between 260-360 TWh per year . However, energy is also used at the receiving end, whether it is to charge mobile devices or to power connected devices like PCs, televisions and IoT gadgets – items that are used all the time by individuals, businesses and organisations.
With environmentally conscious consumers opting to use greener businesses, and with the pressure to become more sustainable growing, more companies are looking at ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their hosting as part of their sustainability efforts.
Sustainable web hosting
Web hosting companies are fully aware of the impact of their operations on climate change and are actively seeking better ways to become more sustainable. Today, this involves adopting new technologies and implementing better practices to reduce their energy usage and CO2 emissions.
Shifting to renewable energy is the obvious choice for web hosts as it means less of the energy they use generates CO2. By choosing an energy supplier that utilises solar, wind or tidal power, for example, their carbon footprint can be dramatically reduced. Unfortunately, green energy isn’t available everywhere and there is not enough of it to power all the world’s data centres. Even in an advanced country, like the UK, wind, solar and hydropower only accounted for 36.1% of the energy used by the National Grid in 2023 . The figure rises with the use of nuclear power and biofuels, though the former is not seen as environmentally friendly by everyone and the latter, while renewable, still generates CO2, though only about half of that created by burning fossil fuels.
In addition to increasing their use of renewable energy, many service providers now offset what CO2 they do generate. This sees them financially support schemes that reduce CO2, whether by investing in renewable energies, planting new forests or restoring natural carbon sinks, like peat bogs.
Service providers have also begun to invest in some of the newer and more energy-efficient hardware that is now available. This includes replacing HDDs with SDDs and installing more efficient processors and cooling equipment. New technologies can also help with energy efficiency. Server virtualisation, for instance, enables multiple virtual servers to be run on a single physical machine, bringing down the number of physical servers required to operate in a data centre. AI, meanwhile, can analyse hosting supplier data to reduce cooling requirements, optimise airflow, and identify opportunities to cut the amount of energy needed to carry out workloads.
Like many other businesses, web hosting companies have also increased their recycling efforts, and moved to low-energy offices with better public transport links (see WHUK Relocates HQ to Prestigious Platform Tech Hub, Leeds.)
Benefits of choosing a green web host
By choosing a greener web host, you are choosing a greener future for your own business. The less CO2 your provider generates to power your website and applications, the less impact your business will have on the environment. As net zero deadlines loom, the likelihood that governments will impose stricter regulations on businesses increases. Moving to a greener hosting solution now means your company will have already taken important steps in tackling this element of your carbon footprint, making compliance less of a burden.
Moreover, by opting for a sustainable hosting solution, you are sending two clear messages. Firstly, you are letting the hosting industry know that sustainability is important to you, a move that will help all web hosts understand that if they want to keep hold of their customers, they will need to decrease their environmental impact. Secondly, you are also letting your own customers know that you are a sustainably minded company. According to an American Express survey, 65% of UK consumers consider the environmental impact of their shopping before making a purchase , while businesses increasingly look to build sustainable supply chains. Opting for greener hosting can, therefore, help your business attract new customers and boost sales and loyalty.
Need more visitors? Read: 6 Ways Your Website Can Attract New Customers
What to look for in a sustainable hosting provider
It can be difficult to tell a sustainable hosting provider in a market where every company likes to tell people that they are eco-friendly. To differentiate between genuinely sustainable companies and those that are greenwashing, one of the first things to look for is industry-standard accreditation. One of the benchmarks here is whether your host has ISO 14001-certified data centres. To be awarded this certification, providers have to prove that they have an effective environmental management system in place, and they also need to comply with environmental performance obligations. Additionally, they must show effective use of their resources and efficiently cut their waste. These providers will have efficient power, lighting and other infrastructure and their cooling systems will conform with ASHRAE thermal guidelines. Another accreditation to look for is ISO 50001. Providers with this accreditation, have been proven to show consistent progress in their energy management.
With regards to using renewable energy and offsetting, you should check that your host obtains Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates, which provide evidence of the amount of renewable energy in their supplier’s fuel mix. Some providers go further, complying with the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) regulations and participating in the Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme (ESOS).
Additionally, check that your host uses the latest energy-efficient hardware, technologies and best practices, mentioned above.
Discover what’s new, read: Latest Trends and Innovations in Web Hosting
Conclusion
The web hosting industry has a significant carbon footprint, one which is set to increase dramatically with the rise of AI and the spread of digitalisation. For website owners, however, there are choices. By opting for a greener host, you can minimise your company’s environmental impact and attract green consumers or business partners. Importantly, you also send a message about your values to the hosting industry and your competitors which can help encourage more businesses to help in the struggle against climate change.
Considering moving to a sustainable web host? Help make your business greener today by seeing how Webhosting UK is striving to provide a more sustainable tomorrow for our customers and the environment. For more information, visit webhosting.uk.com/sustainability
