The Meaning of Green Web Hosting and Its Benefits

• January 20, 2011 21:16
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Green web hosting is a means of hosting websites on the World Wide Web by using only environmental-friendly energy generated through natural resources to power servers and data centers.

Typically eco-web hosting can be achieved either by using solar power or wind energy to generate electricity for data centers. In the quest to save the planet earth from imminent disaster, many companies and individuals are increasingly resorting to implementing carbon neutral web hosting.

These firms and people do not just use renewable energy to generate electricity in their offices and they don’t strive to neutralize global warming, but work to reverse it. Realistically green hosting is still in the early stage and there are hurdles to be scaled. Nevertheless, it is very futuristic and the ones who implement it are those who strive to effect a positive change in the environments we live.

Since data centers consume large amounts of electricity, think about several thousands of such facilities scattered all over the world and their effects on climate change. On the average, a typical server generates about the same amount of carbon emissions as an SUV vehicle. Without taking adequate measures and web hosts taking the lead, CO2 emissions in the information technology industry will tremendously increase in a few years time. Green web hosting service providers strive to reduce, if not eliminate, our carbon footprint, by connecting the servers in their data centers to solar energy systems and/or wind power grids.

The Steps Eco-friendly Web Hosts Take To Fight Global Warming:

A) Increasing number of web hosting providers are building wind powered systems to provide carbon neutral electricity for their servers. Others use solar power generating systems to supply renewable energy to their data centers. I have even seen a couple of green hosts that install both wind energy and solar power systems at the same time, in which scenario one is used steadily and the other stands by as a backup.

B) Some of hosting firms, namely Hostgator, among others, are investing in renewable energy projects in their communities. In return these projects reciprocate by giving the sponsoring web hosts renewable energy credits to help offset their server emissions.

C) The same amount of electric current used to supply power to a server is needed to effectively cool it. Green web hosting service providers don’t just use environmental-friendly energy to power their servers, but also use it to cool them.

D) It is important to note that a lot of web hosting firms use renewable energy to supply electricity to the electronic and electrical appliances in their offices. They literally don’t only strive to curb climate change in their data centers, but also in their offices.

Benefits of Carbon Neutral Web Hosting:

A) Money saving – The traditional way of getting electricity from utility companies costs a lot of money. Renewable energy is not only environmental friendly, it is a money saver. It helps carbon neutral web hosting providers to be their own utility companies and never to worry again about paying anyone for electricity.

B) Helping to reverse global warming – When you implement solar or wind powered web hosting service, you’re helping to reduce carbon footprint that subsequently reduces, if not totally eliminates, global warming.

C) Competitive Edge – Since green energy helps eco friendly hosting companies to reduce the cost of their business operations, it subsequently enables them to offer their services to clients at affordable rates. This gives them very competitive edge over conventional web hosts.

If you’re in the web hosting business or are trying to start one, it is very important you understand the negative impact the IT industry has on climate change and find ways not to compound the problem. Consider using only clean energy produced by wind farms or solar mills, since they are reliable, environmental-friendly and becoming increasingly affordable.

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