The soaring growth of cloud-based services could lead to a massive jump in greenhouse gas emissions, Greenpeace has warned.

 

The pending launch of the iPad and other smart devices that draw on content stored in the cloud will only accelerate demand for data center-hosted content, according to a Greenpeace report.

 

On current growth rates data centers and telecom networks are likely to consume about 2 billion kWh of electricity in 2020 – “more than the current electricity consumption of France, Germany, Canada and Brazil combined,” Greenhouse said.

 

Greenpace said the iPad, which offer users access to the cloud of online services like social networks and video streaming, could contribute to a much larger carbon footprint of IT sector than previously estimated.

 

“We are not picking on Apple,” Greenpeace says, pointing out that all of Google’s leading products, for example, are cloud-based. “But maybe someone can come up with an app that calculates the carbon footprint of using different web sites based on their location and energy deals.

 

In the report Greenpeace forecast that data centers’ current electricity consumption of 330 billion kWh today will grow to 1.01 billion kWh by 2020.

 

Emissions from servers and data centers, which today account for 14% of ICT CO2 emissions, will increase to 18%, while the volume of GHG emissions will increase 72% to 1430 MtCO2e (million tonnes of CO2 equivalent).

 

If cloud providers want to provide a truly green and renewable cloud, “they must use their power and influence to not only drive investments near renewable energy sources, but also become involved in setting the policies that will drive rapid deployment of renewable electricity generation economy-wide.”

 

IT companies like Microsoft, Google, and IBM are now in powerful positions and should use their influence to promote policies that will allow them to grow responsibly without fueling climate change, Greenpeace said.

 

“The IT sector has the ability to help us combat climate change by innovating to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency. Technologies that enable smart grids, zero emission buildings and more efficient transport systems are key to cutting climate change pollution.

 

“We are calling on IT industry giants to put their might behind government policies that give priority grid access for renewable sources like wind and solar energy. IT companies should also support economy-wide climate and energy policies around the world that peak climate emissions by 2015.”