Cloud Service is Going Green with an Expansion by Microsoft
Cloud storage space is convenient, economical, and environmentally responsible. Or is it? New evidence has come to light that suggests cloud storage might not have been so environmentally friendly. Despite having been carbon neural since 2012, Microsoft’s data centers have not been utilizing renewable energy. To become a more green company, Microsoft announced a plan to expand its green data centers towards a more sustainable solution.
In a blog post, Microsoft’s Vice President and chief legal office announced the technology firm’s green data center goals. Microsoft’s green expansion may well be the formula other providers of cloud storage, such as Amazon and Google, use as a blueprint for their own green data goals. To understand the benefits and challenges of green data storage, let’s review the factors that influence sustainability, renewable energy, and green energy.
What is Renewable Energy?
Energy that is naturally replenished within a human’s lifespan is considered renewable energy. Examples of renewable energy include sunlight, wind, tides, waves and geothermal heat. Alternatively, non-renewable energy coal,petroleum, and natural gas. Unlike the time span to create renewable energy, non-renewable energy are fossil fuels that were formed 360-300 million years ago. In Microsoft’s case with their green data centers, Microsoft does not own the companies that supply electricity for the cloud storage servers. Their recent announcement outlines their goals to migrate towards a more sustainable approach.
What is corporate sustainability?
This is a business’s long-term goals to become “green” or environmentally responsible through a strategy that takes into account the business’s relationship with its employees and community. Ernest and Young outlines growing trends in corporate sustainability that illustrate how a corporation influences the social, cultural and economic environment. Microsoft’s announcement reaffirms its commitment to creating green data centers that surpass being carbon neural. In fact, Microsoft is paving the way for electric companies to seek more options to use renewable energy sources to power electric plants.
The Future of Green
Given the influence Microsoft has on the technology industry, it isn’t a bad bet to believe that other leaders in cloud storage will follow their model. Expect more renewable energy companies to begin expanding its reach.
