February 19, 2025
Coding for a greener planet: how carbon-neutral software is changing the world

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As VP of Delivery IntellisRoman offers expert advice to help businesses organize their best products and services.

Every line of code we write, every server we get up and running, and every application we launch have an impact on the world. The impact is not just in the sense of better connectivity, higher productivity or faster-tracked innovation.

The energy required to keep up with the never-ending flow of data that powers our servers and runs our apps contributes to the carbon emissions that are ravaging our planet. This environmental cost, hidden in the shadow of the shining promise of the virtual world, is greater than many of us realize.

When we think of culprits that cause greenhouse gas emissions, we often imagine smokestacks, but never server stacks. Technological enterprises, symbols of innovation and innovation, are very rarely associated with sleek pipes and chimneys. Yet the reality is quite the opposite.

Our digital activities have a real physical footprint that affect the world, from changing weather patterns to melting ice in Antarctica. Busy data centers powering our online world are spewing CO2 into our atmosphere.

Software engineering, which sounds so clean and abstract, actually plays a significant role in overall energy consumption. More comprehensive services are emerging and becoming widespread; Often they require higher computing power, which in turn requires more energy. The choices we make, such as deploying services on a certain infrastructure, can acutely affect the scale of greenhouse gas emissions.

As we stand at the crossroads of extraordinary technological advances and the lines between the digital and the real blur, we need to take responsibility for the invisible impact of our visible progress.

Greenhouse emissions represent much more than just an environmental concern; They present a collective challenge that demands our shared responsibility. We have a decisive role in how our physical world will look and work in the future.

How are companies making their software more sustainable?

Tech industry leaders are already adopting Green Code practices, successfully battling excessive energy consumption and carbon emissions.

• Google: One of the biggest players in the tech world has pledged to run all its data centers on 100% carbon-free energy sources. Google is also reported to have helped 1 billion people globally choose more sustainable options, such as eco-friendly routes in Google Maps, which has prevented more than 1.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (page 6).

• Microsoft: As another leader committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030, the company announced that it will remove more carbon from the atmosphere than it produces. Microsoft claims that by 2050 it will remove from the environment all greenhouse gas emissions that the company has generated since its founding in 1975.

• Netflix: In its 2023 report, the company promised to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030. Netflix continues its promise of decarbonizing film and series production by using clean technologies on over 60% of Netflix productions (page 6).

Strategic actions to reduce software emissions

Every business has to play its part in reducing the global carbon footprint. Software development companies can be part of the solution by developing energy-efficient applications and adopting environmentally conscious software practices. Here are some key strategies that companies can consider to reduce carbon emissions.

1. Optimize code for energy efficiency. This will save a lot of energy. Software will require less resources to run, and as a result, the load on the processor will decrease, which will reduce energy consumption. For example, choosing an efficient algorithm with linear time complexity will be more efficient than an algorithm with quadratic time complexity.

2. Take advantage of energy-efficient hardware. Energy-efficient hardware has been developed to provide the most computing power with the least amount of energy and can significantly reduce carbon emissions. Opting for virtualization or containerization will optimize hardware usage. This means that fewer servers will be required, resulting in lower energy consumption.

3. Run data centers on renewable energy. In 2022, data centers around the world will consume about 340 TWh of electricity, which is 1.3% of global electricity demand. Renewable energy, such as solar, wind or hydropower, can significantly reduce the GHG footprint of a data center and also reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

4. Measure your carbon footprint. Tools such as the Green Software Foundation’s Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) standard provide a way to measure software carbon emissions. It provides actionable metrics that companies can use to make their software greener.

5. Improve continuously. The journey toward carbon-free software engineering is not a one-time effort. It is an ongoing commitment. As technology continues to evolve, so do the techniques for creating green software. Regular reviews and continuous improvements will help companies stay on top of best green practices.

the road ahead

Trailblazer success stories have shown the theoretical benefits of green software engineering into reality. As more companies follow, the tech industry will play an important role in securing a sustainable future for humanity.

However, reducing the carbon footprint is a complex challenge. It requires careful planning, significant resource allocation and a dramatic change in mindset. But the rewards, such as environmental protection, cost savings, brand reputation and stakeholder satisfaction, are well worth the effort.

By taking these decisive steps, the software industry can prove itself to be an active participant in the fight against climate change and set a high standard for other industries to follow.


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