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Carbon-Responsive Computing: Changing the Nexus between Energy and Computing

Author

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  • Dawn Nafus

    (Intel Labs, Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA
    Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand)

  • Eve M. Schooler

    (Next Generation and Standards, Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA 95054, USA)

  • Karly Ann Burch

    (Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand)

Abstract

While extensive research has gone into demand response techniques in data centers, the energy consumed in edge computing systems and in network data transmission remains a significant part of the computing industry’s carbon footprint. The industry also has not fully leveraged the parallel trend of decentralized renewable energy generation, which creates new areas of opportunity for innovation in combined energy and computing systems. Through an interdisciplinary sociotechnical discussion of current energy, computer science and social studies of science and technology (STS) literature, we argue that a more comprehensive set of carbon response techniques needs to be developed that span the continuum of data centers, from the back-end cloud to the network edge. Such techniques need to address the combined needs of decentralized energy and computing systems, alongside the social power dynamics those combinations entail. We call this more comprehensive range “carbon-responsive computing,” and underscore that this continuum constitutes the beginnings of an interconnected infrastructure, elements of which are data-intensive and require the integration of social science disciplines to adequately address problems of inequality, governance, transparency, and definitions of “necessary” tasks in a climate crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Dawn Nafus & Eve M. Schooler & Karly Ann Burch, 2021. "Carbon-Responsive Computing: Changing the Nexus between Energy and Computing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:21:p:6917-:d:661594
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    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Yan & Zhang, Ruiqian & Lyu, Jiayi & Ma, Xin, 2024. "The butterfly effect of cloud computing on the low-carbon economy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    2. Steffen Dalsgaard, 2022. "Can IT Resolve the Climate Crisis? Sketching the Role of an Anthropology of Digital Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Joanna Józefowska & Mariusz Nowak & Rafał Różycki & Grzegorz Waligóra, 2022. "Survey on Optimization Models for Energy-Efficient Computing Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Silva, C.A. & Vilaça, R. & Pereira, A. & Bessa, R.J., 2024. "A review on the decarbonization of high-performance computing centers," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).

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