Is Web Hosting Power Consumption a Sustainability Risk for the Future

[johny899]

Have you ever found yourself waiting for a Web site to load and wondered what the heck was going on behind the scenes. I thought, it was just a matter of slow Internet, but I found out later that I was wrong about that. All the websites, applications, streaming services and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools that we use run off nothing but huge Data Centers, and they use a tremendous amount of electricity to do so. I wonder if the amount of electricity being used like this is becoming an environmental threat?

Reasons for the Large Amount of Power Used by Hosting​

My most recent visit to a data centre was overwhelming; the noises from the servers was enough to make someone feel as though they were standing next to a jet engine! Furthermore, there were dozens of extremely powerful cooling fans working around to maintain the temperature within the Data Center.

The three main power consumers in a Data Center are as follows:

• All day and every night the servers are doing work

• The Cooling Devices that ensure the servers do not overheat

• Backup generators that supply electricity in case there is an electrical outage in the Data Centre

• Network Devices that constantly maintain Power and Connectivity.

Current estimates indicate that Data Centers consume approximately 3% of the total amount of electricity generated throughout the world. The demand for electricity consumed by Data Centres continues to grow each year. Isn't that insane?

Is Use of Energy Sustainable?

It's difficult to deny that streaming movies, playing games, storing files in the cloud, and using artificial intelligence are fun for everyone. However, every time you perform any of those tasks, energy use increases. The question becomes: What will happen when there is not enough power available to meet demand?

Some of the issues that arise include:

• Increased pollution
• Higher demand placed on electrical grids
• Increased utility bills
• Increased amounts of electronic waste

I often wonder, are we sacrificing the environment for our convenience?

Green Initiatives​

Fortunately, several companies recognize this issue and have developed ways to utilize renewable energy sources, which is great news!

Examples of green alternatives include:

• Utilizing solar or wind power to generate energy
• Utilizing liquid cooled systems to reduce energy consumption
• Utilizing processors that consume less energy
• Using recovered waste heat to heat buildings

Many web hosting companies now claim that they are "100% green," which is a positive development!

Conclusion​

The large amount of energy consumed by hosting infrastructure is concerning for the environment, and if we continue to ignore it, there will be severe consequences. Nevertheless, if users and businesses collaborate, we can create a technological environment where both humans and the planet thrive together.