Cloud Computing Could Cut Data Center Energy Consumption by Nearly One-Third by 2020
Though the inner workings of the global communications network are so complex that they remain opaque even to those who operate it, the redundancy and fail-over capabilities of the system have made it so reliable that the internet-based cloud has become a trusted place to store and transmit critical data. The rapid spread of cloud computing has enabled enterprises to outsource many information technology capabilities, including and especially data centers, leading to savings on manpower, money, and energy.
According to a recent report from Pike Research, the energy-efficiency benefits of cloud computing are substantial, and growth in the market will have important implications for both energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that the continued adoption of cloud computing will lead to a reduction of data center energy consumption of 31 percent from 2010 to 2020.