When you use your company’s cloud, chances are that you do not think about how it is powered. According to the environmental activist group, Greenpeace, your firm’s cloud might be powered by dirty energy, which negatively affects the planet.
In reasearching its report, Greenpeace surveyed 14 IT businesses that are built on cloud computing. The group discovered that some of the industry’s biggest players still rely on electricity generated from nuclear and fossil fuels resources such as coal and diesel. Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft are the biggest offenders, according to the report. These companies are expanding rapidly without heeding the environmental impact, claimed Greenpeace.
None of the companies examined in Greenpeace’s report earned high marks overall. However, certain firms fared better in particular categories. Akamai, the cloud computing performance management brand, received an “A” for transparency in regards to its energy sources. Google was singled out for praise because it has begun to power its data centres with cleaner fuels. Yahoo’s decision to locate a data centre in upstate New York which will run on hydroelectric power also gave it a better score.
