IT Firms in Green Initiative Must Also Look At Themselves (June-07)
From Lauraibm
Contents |
MI Summary
A number of vendors have joined to form the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, the aim is to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting aggressive targets for energy efficient computers and components. Gartner believe that this initiative will indeed help in reducing power consumption, but that improvements in power supply efficiency would have happened anyway. There is also a belief that the underlying reason for some vendors to support the initiative is that it gives the impression they are being proactive in tackling climate change, supporting such an initiative also distracts attention away from some of their existing environmental challenges.
This is indeed a positive step forward for the industry, but having said this it is important that enterprises question the vendors and service providers supporting it to find out what they themselves are doing to reduce energy consumption.
Text of Article
IT Firms in Green Initiative Must Also Look at Themselves
19 June 2007 Simon Mingay
The Climate Savers Computing Initiative will raise awareness of IT power consumption issues and set aggressive energy efficiency targets. Consider the advice, but question what the firms involved are doing themselves.
Event
On 12 June 2007, Intel and Google announced that they are joining with Dell, EDS, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft and others to form the Climate Savers Computing Initiative (see www.climatesaverscomputing.org). The aim of the initiative is to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting aggressive new targets for energy-efficient computers and components, and to promote the adoption of energy-efficient computers and power management tools.
Analysis
Gartner believes this initiative will contribute to reductions in IT power consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Intel and Google claim that if the targeted 90% efficiency for power supplies is achieved, greenhouse gas emissions will fall by 54 million tons by 2010 and energy costs by more than $5.5 billion. We believe the initiative will spur good progress on reducing motherboard power consumption, but that improvements in power supply efficiency would have happened anyway. A significant part of the initiative centers on education and awareness, the effectiveness of which will be hard to measure.
At this stage, products will not be labeled. Gartner believes that any future labeling should be integrated with existing programs like Energy Star or the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) to avoid eco-labeling confusion. We will certainly see more initiatives as the industry strives to go "green." To be effective, the industry will need to coordinate these green initiatives.
We believe the underlying reason some of the vendors are supporting the initiative is that it gives the impression they are being proactive in tackling climate change, thus increasing their green credentials. An advantage of supporting this kind of initiative for these vendors is that it distracts attention away from some of their existing environmental challenges.
The initiative is a step forward for the industry. But the initiative, its members and the industry have a long way to go yet. Enterprises should continue to challenge the members of the initiative to demonstrate their environmental credentials.
Recommendations
Consider the good advice from the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, but question the IT vendors and service providers supporting it about what they themselves are doing to reduce energy consumption. Look for equipment that meets the suggested criteria. Make best use of available power management tools.
Recommended Reading
- "Cut Costs and Boost Environmental Benefits by Not Leaving PCs Powered On Unnecessarily" — Enterprises should employ more-aggressive power management for PCs, monitors, printers and scanners, and use an appropriate low power state after-hours, especially for PCs and monitors. By Simon Mingay
- "The IT Industry Is Part of the Climate Change and Sustainability Problem" — The IT industry and IT organizations must understand the changing sociopolitical views of climate change and take action to ensure that they're part of the solution, not the problem.
Source
http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?ref=g_search&id=507604&subref=browse
