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The computing industry’s energy consumption is substantial, leading to the sector contributing between 2.1 and 3.9% of global carbon emissions. This figure is expected to rise with the proliferation of energy-intensive applications such as generative AI and enhanced virtual communal spaces.
To address this growing issue, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a research initiative aiming to revolutionise the infrastructure of information and communication technology (ICT) and promote sustainable computing. Led by David Brooks of Harvard and Benjamin Lee of the University of Pennsylvania, the NSF Expeditions in Computing initiative aims to reduce the carbon footprint of computing by 45% by 2030. This goal reflects the urgent need to reconcile the rapid advancements in digital technology with the imperative of environmental sustainability.
Caltech’s Adam Wierman, a key member of the NSF Expeditions team, has been pioneering algorithms to enhance data centre sustainability. Their collaboration with industry partners has significantly improved standards for measuring and reporting the carbon costs of computation, setting the stage for broader adoption of sustainable practices in the ICT sector.
Wierman highlighted the escalating energy demands of AI and data centres. Companies adopting generative AI are significantly increasing their carbon usage. For example, using generative AI instead of traditional optimisation methods can increase carbon emissions by 10 to 20 times.
In regions like Northern Virginia, Ireland, and Amsterdam, data centres account for up to 30% of electricity consumption, even before the surge in AI training. This intense energy use is creating a strain on local utilities, which need help to meet the growing demand.
Utilities are reaching their limits, with some regions needing help to accommodate new data centres due to energy constraints. Large-scale data centres planned by organisations require as much energy as medium-sized cities, creating substantial local and global environmental impacts. These data centres not only consume enormous amounts of electricity but also contribute to significant water usage for cooling and generate pollution from backup generators.
The NSF Expeditions initiative aims to make ICT greener by promoting sustainable data centre designs, improving power optimisation, and fostering utility partnerships.
Efforts to make data centres more sustainable include minimising embodied carbon in hardware manufacturing and optimising operational carbon usage. This involves shifting workloads to times and locations with available green energy and utilising data centres to support grid efficiency during peak demand.
The NSF initiative and associated industry efforts underscore a crucial moment for sustainable computing. This involves not only improving the energy efficiency of data centres but also rethinking the entire ICT infrastructure to support a low-carbon future.
A critical component of this effort is the development of standardised methods for measuring and reporting the carbon impact of data centres. Wierman’s team has been at the forefront of creating tools that enable companies to assess their carbon footprint accurately. These tools are essential for setting realistic goals and tracking progress toward reducing carbon emissions.
Another key strategy is the integration of renewable energy sources into data centre operations. Some companies have already made strides in this area by signing purchasing agreements for solar and wind power. However, to truly achieve 24/7 net-zero operations, data centres must be designed to be highly responsive to grid conditions, optimising energy use in real-time and shifting workloads to times and locations where renewable energy is available.
Minimising the embodied carbon in data centre hardware is also crucial. This involves adopting the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle in the manufacturing and lifecycle management of computing resources.
The NSF Expeditions in Computing initiative represents a significant step forward in the quest for sustainable computing. As we move toward a more digital future, prioritising sustainability to ensure that technological progress contributes to a healthier planet.
