Technology has evolved rapidly, but our planet is becoming exhausted.
We are living in a more digitalized era than ever before. Generative AI refines our ideas, the cloud has become the core of business, and data centers consume more energy than some cities.
However, behind these technological advancements lie growing concerns about the environmental issues caused by technology, such as continuously increasing power consumption and carbon emissions. It is now time to seriously consider how technology and the environment can coexist in harmony.
As a solution to these concerns, "Green IT" strategies—aimed at contributing to the preservation of the natural environment through IT—are emerging as a key topic.
In this content, we will go beyond simple eco-friendly slogans to take a concrete look at how IT infrastructure can actually achieve carbon neutrality and how businesses can strategically adopt and operate Green IT practices.
🌳Why is IT declaring itself eco-friendly now?
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• Data centers are projected to consume 8% of global electricity by 2030.
- International Energy Agency (IEA), Energy and AI (2025)
• Global cloud usage is expected to increase nearly threefold by 2025 compared to 2020.
- International Energy Agency (IEA), Electricity (2024)
• 81% of companies are considering adopting IT infrastructure that meets ESG standards
- McKinsey & Company, The Green IT Imperative’ (2025)
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Research institutions around the world are issuing warnings about the future that technology may bring. Technological advancement can no longer be driven by speed alone; it must also be designed with sustainability, social responsibility, and energy efficiency in mind.
Global tech leaders are already at the forefront of innovations to reduce carbon emissions. As the use of cloud and AI expands, they are fulfilling their environmental responsibilities by building carbon data tracking systems and accelerating the transition to eco-friendly data centers.
🌳What is Green IT?
Today, IT has become more than just technological innovation—it is now a strategic choice for a sustainable future.
Green IT refers to IT infrastructure and operational practices that maximize energy efficiency, minimize carbon emissions, and fulfill social responsibility. This is not just about eco-friendly slogans; it is a key strategy that enhances a company's competitiveness and brand trust.
[Key Areas of Green IT Implementation Strategy]
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Area
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Description
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Green Data Center
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Use of liquid cooling systems, waste heat recycling, and running servers on renewable energy
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Cloud Carbon Monitoring
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Utilizing “carbon dashboards” provided by GCP, Azure, and AWS
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Energy-Efficient Software Development
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Lightweight code, fast loading, optimized computation
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Device Lifespan Extension and Refurbishment Strategy
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Reducing resource waste and e-waste
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Carbon-Traceable SaaS
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Visualization and reporting of carbon emissions by SaaS usage
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🌳Case Studies: The ROI of Green IT
[Case Study 1] Microsoft – Azure Carbon Optimization
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• Through the Emissions Impact Dashboard, customers can visually analyze the carbon emissions generated by
their use of Azure resources and identify optimization measures to reduce them.
• By using the dashboard, customers can pinpoint “hotspots” with concentrated carbon emissions and
achieve carbon savings by adjusting inefficient workloads or removing unnecessary resources.
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[Case Study 2] Google – DeepMind AI for Cooling Efficiency
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• Google applies DeepMind’s machine learning technology to its data centers, analyzing real-time data
such as temperature, humidity, and pump speed to automatically adjust the cooling system, reducing power consumption by up to 40%.
• As a result, overall Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) has improved by 15%, effectively cutting both energy costs and carbon emissions.
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Global tech leaders are providing environments where customers can independently track and optimize their own carbon emissions, resulting in tangible reductions in energy use and carbon output. These AI-based energy management systems are poised to become universal strategies for eco-innovation, as they can be widely applied beyond the cloud to industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and energy. Crucially, companies that proactively implement these green strategies not only earn trust from investors, consumers, and regulators but also benefit from enhanced brand competitiveness.
Green IT has already demonstrated its effectiveness, scalability, and competitiveness at a global level. With the rapid proliferation of generative AI, this transformation is no longer a choice but an urgent task that must be addressed in advance. In the upcoming content, we will explore why Green IT is urgently needed in the era of generative AI and share practical ways to get started.
See you in the next content—coming soon!
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