Mercedes Mullins
The internet is a network of networks, consisting of billions of devices. It's no surprise, then, that the internet consumes an extraordinary amount of energy. In 2022, the internet consumed 800 TWh of electricity, and this number is expected to double by 2030 with the rise of AI. Data centres, which house the computers, servers, and hardware that make up the internet's infrastructure, are major energy consumers, accounting for about 1-1.5% of global electricity use. With the world's growing demand for the internet, its energy requirements are also increasing. This has led to concerns about the environmental impact of the internet, particularly regarding carbon emissions and climate change.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Energy consumed by the internet in 2022 | 800 TWh |
| Number of internet users in 2022 | 5 billion |
| Internet traffic in 2022 | 4.7 Zettabytes |
| Energy consumed by data centres in the US | 70 billion kilowatt hours per year |
| Percentage of total American electricity consumption by data centres | 1.8% |
| Annual cost of electricity for data centres | $7 billion |
| Energy consumed by the internet by 2030 | 1600 TWh (estimated) |
| Percentage of global electricity demand by 2030 | 2.5% (estimated) |
| Energy consumed by the internet by 2050 | 5% of global electricity use (estimated) |
| Percentage of global electricity use by data centres | 1 to 1.5% |
| Energy consumed by data centres for cooling | 40% |
| Energy source for data centres | Fossil fuels |
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What You'll Learn
Data centres and servers
Data centres are the "brains" of the internet, processing, storing, and communicating the data behind the myriad information services we rely on every day. The number of global internet users has grown, and so too has the demand for data centre services. This has led to concerns about rising energy consumption.
Data centres use various IT devices, all of which require a significant amount of energy. Servers perform computations and provide logic to respond to information requests, while storage drives hold the data and files needed to meet each request. Network devices enable the incoming and outgoing flows of data by connecting the entire data centre to the internet.
The electricity that these IT devices use turns into heat, which the data centre must remove using cooling equipment that also consumes energy. Servers and cooling systems account for the greatest share of direct electricity use in data centres. The average data centre demands around 5-10 megawatts (MW), but large hyperscale facilities can be greater than 100 MW.
Efforts are being made to improve energy efficiency in data centres. For example, greater use of server virtualisation software enables multiple applications to run on a single server, reducing energy intensity. Most compute instances have migrated to large cloud- and hyperscale-class data centres, which utilize ultra-efficient cooling systems to minimize energy use.
Additionally, data centres are increasingly adopting renewable energy sources like wind, solar, nuclear, and hydropower to meet their power needs. Hyperscale data centres, typically owned by Big Tech corporations, are pioneering new energy-efficient technologies and investing in renewable power sources to create sustainable data centres with lower overall energy requirements.
Mathematical models are used to estimate data centre energy consumption, as official statistics are not currently compiled at the national or global level. According to estimates, data centres account for approximately 1% of global energy consumption, with some studies placing this figure between 1.1% and 1.5%.
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Energy sources
The Internet is a network of networks and computers that consume a lot of power. The energy consumed by the Internet comes from various sources, including electricity, fossil fuels, and renewable energy.
Electricity is a significant source of energy for the Internet. Data centres, which are collections of computers that make up the backend of the Internet, rely on massive amounts of electricity to power the servers and computers they contain. These data centres also require cooling systems, such as air conditioning, to maintain a safe operating temperature, further contributing to electricity consumption.
Fossil fuels, such as hydropower, are also used to power the Internet. However, the current smart grid infrastructure makes it challenging to incorporate renewable energy sources seamlessly. As a result, the Internet's energy consumption primarily relies on non-renewable sources, contributing to environmental concerns.
To address sustainability issues, there is a growing trend towards renewable energy-powered web hosting. Website owners are increasingly choosing platforms that offer renewable energy options or purchasing offsets to compensate for carbon emissions. Additionally, businesses are installing renewable energy systems, such as solar panels or wind turbines, to directly power their IT infrastructure.
Initiatives like Solar Protocol and the Low Tech Magazine have created ingenious websites entirely powered by solar energy, utilising reduced-colour images and default typefaces to enhance energy efficiency.
Furthermore, the development of the Internet of Energy (IoE) aims to revolutionise energy production and delivery. By incorporating IoT devices and smart sensors, the IoE strives for a more efficient, resilient, and reliable power grid that can balance energy production and demand. The IoE also facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources into the existing grid, contributing to a more sustainable future for the Internet.
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AI's impact
The internet is a massive network of computers and servers that require a lot of energy to function. Data centres, which house these servers and computers, are significant energy consumers, contributing about 1 to 1.5 percent of global electricity usage. The energy consumption of these centres is expected to increase with the growing demand for the internet and the emergence of new technologies.
AI has an impact on the energy consumption of the internet in several ways. Firstly, AI models themselves require a lot of energy to function. The increasing adoption of AI technologies will drive up energy consumption in data centres, which are already energy-intensive operations. AI models rely on vast amounts of data and processing power, which means more energy will be needed to train and run these models.
Secondly, AI can also impact the energy efficiency of the internet. AI can be used to optimize energy usage and make the internet more sustainable. For example, AI can be utilized to improve data centre operations, making them more energy-efficient. AI can also be applied to network routing and traffic management, reducing energy consumption in these areas. Additionally, AI can be used to develop new, more energy-efficient algorithms and protocols for data transmission and storage.
Thirdly, AI has the potential to reduce energy consumption in other areas, offsetting the energy used by the internet. For example, AI-powered autonomous vehicles can optimize routes and reduce energy waste, while smart homes and smart grids can optimize energy usage, reducing overall consumption.
However, it is important to note that the energy used to power data centres often comes from fossil fuels, contributing to the climate crisis by releasing greenhouse gases. The energy intensity of AI technologies and their environmental impact is a growing concern, with calls for more transparency and regulation around AI energy usage. As AI continues to advance and become more integrated into our lives, the energy demands of AI and the internet will become increasingly intertwined, requiring innovative solutions to ensure sustainability.
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Cooling systems
Data centres are packed with servers and other computers, all of which require electricity to operate and stay cool. Cooling systems are necessary to keep the Internet running. Servers and cooling systems account for the greatest shares of direct electricity use in data centres. The most common cooling system is air conditioning.
The energy efficiency of IT devices, servers, and storage drives has improved substantially due to steady technological progress. Additionally, the greater use of server virtualization software has significantly reduced the energy intensity of each hosted application. Most compute instances have migrated to large cloud- and hyperscale-class data centres, which utilize ultra-efficient cooling systems to minimize energy use.
Data centre operators can improve energy efficiency by locating new data centres in areas with suitable climates and low water stress, and by adopting the most energy-efficient servers, storage, network, and cooling equipment. Several major data centre and telecom network operators have set and/or achieved targets to use 100% clean electricity.
The world's rapidly growing use of artificial intelligence is increasing energy consumption in data centres. AI uses massive amounts of energy for computation and data storage, and millions of gallons of water to cool the equipment. Tech corporations are facing increasing demands for accountability from legislators and regulators.
Efficiency improvements in IT hardware and cooling, and a shift towards more efficient cloud and hyperscale data centres, have helped to moderate growth in energy demand from data centres. However, the rapid growth in workloads handled by large data centres has resulted in a substantial increase in energy use, growing by 20-40% annually.
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Sustainable solutions
The internet is a massive network of computers and servers that consume a lot of energy. Data centres, which house these servers and computers, are responsible for a significant portion of the energy consumption. With the growing demand for data and the increasing use of artificial intelligence, it is important to find sustainable solutions to reduce the internet's energy consumption and environmental impact. Here are some ways to make the internet more sustainable:
Data centres require a lot of energy to operate and stay cool. Some ways to make data centres more sustainable include:
- Adopting eco-friendly design practices and green data centre management strategies, such as those explored in Nordic countries.
- Increasing energy efficiency by utilising large data centres that operate at high utilisation rates and with advanced cooling systems and redundant power supplies.
- Removing obsolete or unused "zombie" servers that are still plugged in.
- Using renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or wind turbines with battery backups, to directly power data centres.
Web designers can also play a role in reducing the energy required to load and use websites:
- Embracing minimalism by reducing the use of large images, videos, and specialised fonts that require extra, sizeable files.
- Following environmentally friendly web design strategies, such as reduced-colour images and default typefaces, to allow websites to run more efficiently.
- Initiatives like Solar Protocol and Low Tech Magazine showcase how websites can be entirely powered by solar energy through a network of solar servers located across the globe.
Individuals can also make a difference by adopting simple habits to reduce their digital footprint:
- Sending emails only when necessary and using the "Reply all" option sparingly.
- Deleting unneeded emails to avoid digital pollution.
- Closing unused browser tabs.
- Downloading music for offline listening, which pollutes less than online streaming.
- Compressing files sent by email whenever possible.
- Disabling automatic video downloading, app updates, and cloud backups on smartphones.
- Reducing the use of GIFs on messaging platforms.
- Unsubscribing from unnecessary newsletters.
- Turning off the computer when not in use.
By implementing these sustainable solutions, we can work towards reducing the internet's energy consumption and environmental impact, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future.
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Frequently asked questions
The internet consumes a lot of energy. In 2022, it consumed 800 TWh of electricity, with 5 billion users generating 4.7 zettabytes of traffic.
To estimate the energy usage of the internet, we need to consider every component that connects to the system. This includes billions of devices, data centres, transmission, networking, and the energy required to create the internet itself.
Data centres are buildings used to store data and computer hardware. They are collections of computers that make up the back end of a system. They contain servers and other computers that require electricity to operate and stay cool.
Data centres currently account for about 1-1.5% of global electricity use. In the US, data centres use around 70 billion kilowatt-hours per year, which is 1.8% of total electricity consumption.
There are a few ways to reduce the energy consumed by the internet. Web designers can embrace minimalism, helping to reduce the energy required to load images, videos, and specialised fonts. Users can also spend less time on the internet and choose more energy-efficient options, such as listening to music instead of watching videos when out and about.
