Carbon footprint
Carbon footprint
The total amount of greenhouse gas emissions (expressed in CO2e) directly or indirectly produced by an individual, organization, product, or activity. It is a comprehensive measure of an entity’s impact on climate change.
Direct emissions
Direct emissions from data centers, also known as scope 1 emissions, arise from activities that occur within the boundaries of the data center itself that are under its direct control. Direct emissions include the following:
Fuel combustion: Emissions produced from burning fossil fuels on-site, such as natural gas for backup generators or heating.
Chemical reactions: Emissions from chemical reactions within the facility, such as refrigerants used in cooling systems.
On-site processes: Emissions from specific processes or activities conducted within the data center, like waste incineration.
Indirect emissions
Indirect emissions, also categorized as scope 2 and scope 3 emissions, are associated with activities outside the direct control of the data center but are linked to its operations. Indirect emissions include the following:
Electricity consumption: The largest source of indirect emissions for data centers is usually the electricity used to power IT equipment, cooling systems, lighting, and other operations. These emissions occur at the power plants generating the electricity and are considered scope 2 emissions.
Supply chain: These are emissions associated with the manufacturing, transportation, and disposal of equipment used in the data center, such as servers, networking gear, and cooling infrastructure.
Employee commuting and travel: This encompasses emissions resulting from the travel of employees to and from the data center as well as any business travel related to the data center’s operations.
Comparing direct and indirect emissions
It’s important to note that while direct emissions are relatively more straightforward to measure and control, indirect emissions—particularly from electricity consumption—can make up a significant portion of a data center’s carbon footprint. Accordingly, data centers often focus on improving energy efficiency, transitioning to renewable energy sources, and considering the broader lifecycle impact of their operations to effectively manage both direct and indirect emissions.
Calculating carbon footprint
The calculation of a data center’s carbon footprint involves quantifying the emissions associated with its energy consumption, often using emission factors provided by energy sources. The formula to calculate the data center carbon footprint is:
Carbon footprint = Energy consumption × Emission factor
Energy consumption (kWh): The total energy consumed by the data center over a specific period.
Emission factor (kg CO2e / kWh): The factor that represents the amount of CO2e emissions produced per kilowatt-hour of energy generated based on the energy sources procured when on the grid (e.g., coal, natural gas, or renewable sources).