SAS: Balancing Tech Growth with Environmental Goals

As the digital age accelerates, businesses are caught in a whirlwind of innovation and sustainability.

A pivotal report by SAS shines a light on this dynamic, underscoring the challenge of embracing cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) without compromising our planet's health.

The leap towards digital transformation, spearheaded by the adoption of AI, has seen a marked increase in the demand for data services worldwide. The escalation of power-hungry AI applications, particularly Gen AI, spells a significant rise in energy consumption, putting sustainability targets in jeopardy.

According to the International Energy Agency, data centres are responsible for approximately 1% of global electricity use, a figure expected to soar to 35 gigawatts annually by 2030, up from 17 gigawatts in 2022.

Despite efforts by cloud giants like AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud towards green initiatives, SAS's Chief Environmental Officer, Jerry Williams, stresses the collective nature of environmental stewardship.

“Organisations often think that environmental responsibility is primarily a cloud vendor obligation, but the truth is, it's a shared responsibility," he said.

"Greater efficiency in AI model development, made possible by the availability of data and AI platforms that are optimised to run in the cloud, will also help teams to reduce unnecessary duplication and waste, and minimise energy consumption.”

Untangling the environmental web of cloud computing

The environmental toll of cloud computing is vast, spanning extensive energy and water use, alongside indirect emissions from the upkeep of such infrastructures. The surge in AI and analytics further intensifies these pressures.

Yves Mulkers, Data Strategist at 7wData, unveils several strategies for mitigating energy usage, including virtualisation and the smart application of AI.

“Organisations can make significant strides in sustainability by focusing on virtualisation, using AI to manage data, and refining large language models,” he said.

The rise of Gen AI models like ChatGPT, notorious for its high energy demands, muddies the waters further, making sustainable practices more crucial than ever.

The industry isn't idly standing by, though. Innovations in data centre design are making waves, with projects aimed at repurposing energy for community use gaining traction, showcasing the potential for tech to contribute positively to the environment.

This is a critical balance that technology leaders, like Spiros Potamitis of SAS, are striving to achieve.

"If you reduce the time needed to run analytical workloads, it will also have the added benefit of significantly reducing your carbon emissions,” he said.

However, the tech industry is not standing still. Luke Davies, Managing Director of Datacenters at GlobalConnect, highlights advancements in data centre design that are helping to address these challenges.

“We have seen flagship efforts to decarbonise data centres, such as our project to redirect heat to provide free energy for 1,500 households in Greater Copenhagen,” he said.

Such initiatives demonstrate the potential for innovative solutions that can turn energy consumption into a community benefit.

Cloud sprawl and sustainability

The proliferation of cloud solutions brings its own set of hurdles, exacerbating infrastructure and processing costs, along with a hidden ecological footprint.

SAS's findings highlight this concern, with a staggering 99% of large organisations grappling with these issues.

This scenario underscores an opportunity for optimising cloud setups not only for efficiency but for environmental friendliness as well.

Regulation and societal demand for greener practices are reshaping priorities.

As Luke added: "The urgency of climate change, public pressure and new regulations mean that businesses are increasingly prioritising sustainability when choosing providers."

Leading cloud providers are stepping up, with companies like Microsoft and Amazon deploying bold sustainability claims to quench the increasing thirst for green services. The path forward involves merging tech innovation with sustainable strategies, advocating for a responsible approach towards service selection and infrastructure optimisation.

As we navigate these complexities, the importance of innovation in pushing the boundaries of efficiency and sustainability comes to the fore.

Luke concluded: “Without data centres, there will be no AI, so there's a structural incentive to make them as efficient as possible.”

******

Receive the next edition of ClimateTech Magazine by signing up for its newsletter. 

As part of this portfolio, make sure you check out Sustainability Magazine and also sign up to our global conference series -  Sustainability LIVE. 

Also check out our Sister Brand, Energy Digital. 

******

ClimateTech Digital is a BizClik brand.