Did you know the global network currently generates 300 million tons of carbon dioxide a year -- about as much as 15 million cars? I didn’t either until I came across an article on Market Watch. The number is increasing as Internet traffic continues to grow along with a worldwide user base. I was surprised by how much of an impact the network has on the environment. But, there is good news…
Global networks could theoretically run on 10,000 times less energy than they do today according to scientists and engineers at Bell Labs (the research arm of Alcatel-Lucent). The estimate came from the scientists when they decided to find out the minimum amount of power required to run the network. This isn’t my field of expertise, but it seems like a staggering amount of inefficiency.
Why are networks so energy inefficient? Bell Labs says that networks weren’t designed with energy efficiency in mind, but were optimized for performance and simplicity (not too surprising).
So where does this leave us? Alcatel-Lucent and Bell Labs have decided to launch a global consortium called Green Touch whose goal would be to develop the technologies needed to make networks much more efficient.
How much more? 1,000 times more efficient than it is now within five years. It's an aggressive goal, considering that a thousandfold reduction is roughly equivalent to being able to power the network for three years with as much energy as it currently takes to run it for a day.
This is great news. It’s going to be interesting to see if the consortium can deliver on their goals. I’m cautiously optimistic – how about you? If you want more details check out the Green Touch press release.
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