Chapter 3. Sustainable Components

What You Will Learn in This Chapter

In this chapter, we will cover:

  • Why green hosting powered by 100% renewable energy is so critical for building a more sustainable Internet.

  • How other components, such as sustainable business practices, Lean/Agile workflows, boilerplates, and software frameworks can make your web solutions more sustainable.

  • What the potential barriers are to hosting a digital product or service powered by renewable energy.

A Greener Apple

In the 2012 edition of Clicking Clean, its annual report on the Internet’s environmental impact, Greenpeace criticized Apple for its data centers’ reliance on fossil fuels. Within two years, Apple had publicly committed to a goal of powering its data centers with 100% renewable energy and the company has made great strides in turning that goal into reality. They have published facility-level details on energy consumption and improved the amount of information shared publicly on electricity used at each of its data centers. Apple is also one of the most aggressive among larger Internet companies in pursuing renewable energy to power its data centers, deploying a significant number of solar installations and micro-hydro projects since making the commitment to 100% renewables in 2012. The company has been similarly aggressive in reducing energy and carbon footprint for all of its operations. A data center location in Viborg, Denmark will be designed to capture excess heat and route it into the town ...

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