The green software industry is making significant strides towards sustainability as companies prioritize reducing their carbon footprint. The Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) specification has become a global standard, helping measure emissions from software operation and hardware embodied carbon. Despite challenges in changing culture, the Green Software Foundation’s efforts to educate engineers and promote energy-efficient practices are promising developments.
Green Software Industry Standard
The Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) specification helps measure the carbon footprint of software and became a global industry standard earlier this year.
This calculation includes both emissions from software operation and embodied carbon from hardware it runs on.
Green Software Development Challenges
Getting engineers to prioritize green development is tough, according to Peter Campbell, director of green software at Kainos.
He notes that the culture piece is hard to get right, with many priorities competing for attention.
Code Smells and Energy Efficiency
The ecoCode project is compiling a collection of “code smells” – hints that code could use fewer resources.
This includes replacing instructions with faster alternatives and making apps more energy-efficient.
Green Software Foundation’s Impact
The Green Software Foundation has created a free short course to educate engineers, product people, and designers on green software development.
Despite its efforts, the culture piece remains a significant challenge in getting teams to prioritize sustainability.
Conclusion
The green software industry is still in its early stages, but there are promising developments underway to address the environmental impact of ICT.
The ICT Sector’s Environmental Impact
The information technology and communications (ICT) sector accounts for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, estimated at 1.4% in 2020.
However, a 2018 study suggests that this figure could rise to 14% by 2040 if left unchecked.
Green Software Development on the Rise
Despite the challenges, there are signs that big firms are taking the problem more seriously.
According to analysts Gartner, only 10% of large global enterprises include software sustainability in their requirements today, but this is expected to rise to 30% by 2027.
Decarbonizing Software
Software is considered easier to decarbonize than many other sectors, such as aviation.
Asim Hussain, executive director at the Green Software Foundation, emphasizes that “we should push this button now because we can.”
The Importance of Measuring Carbon Footprint
Calculating software’s carbon footprint is a complex task, and there is currently a lack of data to make it easier.
To address this issue, the Green Software Foundation has created a set of models called the Impact Framework.
The Green Software Movement: Reducing Carbon Footprint in the Tech Industry
The tech industry has long been criticized for its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, with estimates suggesting that it could account for up to 14% of global emissions by 2040.
However, a growing movement towards green software is gaining momentum, with companies and organizations working together to reduce the carbon footprint of the sector.
Embedded Carbon: A Major Contributor
A significant portion of mobile phone-related emissions comes from their manufacture, known as embedded or embodied carbon.
This highlights the importance of extending the life of devices through the latest software updates, rather than upgrading to new phones.
An operating system called /e/OS offers a potentially greener alternative, providing a free version of Android that extends the life of devices no longer receiving manufacturer support.
Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) Specification
The SCI specification helps measure the carbon footprint of software and has become a global industry standard.
The calculation includes both emissions from software operation and embodied carbon from hardware.
This score allows developers to track progress as they work to reduce emissions.
The Green Software Foundation, with over 60 members including Microsoft, Intel, and Google, created this specification.
Challenges in Calculating SCI
Calculating the SCI is a complex task due to the lack of data available.
To address this issue, the Green Software Foundation has developed a set of models called the Impact Framework, which takes observations and turns them into estimates for carbon emissions.
Improving Energy Efficiency in Software Development
The ecoCode project aims to improve energy efficiency in software development by compiling a collection of “code smells.”
These are hints that code could use fewer resources.
The CEO of Sonar, Tariq Shaukat, notes that this is an area of ongoing research and highlights the importance of optimizing code for better performance.
Education and Culture Change
Kainos, an IT services company, has trained its 500 engineers, product people, and designers using the Green Software Foundation’s free short course.
However, Peter Campbell, director of green software at Kainos, notes that changing culture is a challenging task, requiring ongoing education and prioritization to ensure sustainability remains a key consideration.
Conclusion
The green software movement is gaining momentum as companies and organizations work together to reduce the carbon footprint of the tech industry.
By extending device life through software updates, implementing energy-efficient practices in software development, and promoting education and culture change, we can make significant strides towards a more sustainable future.
The ICT sector’s environmental impact is a pressing concern, with estimates suggesting it could account for up to 14% of global emissions by 2040 if left unchecked.
However, there are promising developments underway to address this issue, including the creation of the Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) specification and the Impact Framework.
