TECH & AI
As the digital revolution evolves it becomes more resource intensive . Data centres – the infrastructure behind the technical innovations powering the world today – are some of the most energy-hungry technologies .
Some countries , including Germany , Singapore and China , have introduced restrictions on the development of new data centres to attempt to curb the emissions impacts .
In Ireland , data centres are due to amount to nearly a third of national electricity demand by 2026 – partly due to server farms run by companies including Google and Microsoft . The surge in data centres is partly due to the necessity to support new technologies including AI .
So , as digitisation and AI adoption charge forward at impressive speeds , what is the impact on the environment and is there potential to aid sustainability advances ?
Integrating sustainability into digital transformation strategy Many companies are approaching digital transformation and reducing energy consumption as a combined opportunity .
By embedding sustainability into the heart of wider business strategy , including digital transformation , businesses are seeing potential open up in areas including circular economy and renewable energy solutions .
Dr James Robey , Executive Vice President , Global Head of Environmental
90 May 2024