Green IT: 'Do it for the money if nothing else'

The vast majority of businesses are still shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to energy savings and while the welfare of the planet may not be top of their agenda they are also missing out on the associated cost savings that should be.

Eighty per cent of businesses have never conducted an energy audit and only 29 per cent of businesses are investing in energy efficient PCs, according to research from Intel. What's more, the majority of companies expect to see their energy bills rocket over the next three years, with prices soaring. Most (94 per cent) are also aware energy consumption from IT is a major contributory factor to global warming. (See also: Being 'green': Practical, possible... and profitable?)

So why the inertia when it comes to addressing these problems?

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According to Daniel Fliescher, senior research analyst at IDC, cost is still a major barrier. Fliescher said: "I think there is still a perception among CIOs that it costs money to go green."

And Fliescher expressed doubts that many CIOs also see a close enough correlation between their IT buying decisions and 'the death of the planet'.

However, he said a greater financial imperative - gained by understanding total cost of ownership issues, including energy consumption - is likely to get IT departments thinking about energy savings differently. That impetus must be injected at board level - from CFO or CEO - and should filter down through the company.

Catriona McAlister, a senior consultant at AEA Energy and Environment, said businesses need to ditch notions of paying a premium for 'green IT', adding: "There is absolutely no correlation between the cost of a PC and its energy efficiency."

But McAlister too is pragmatic about the fact energy savings - and the resultant environmental benefits - will come about as a result of a desire for cost-savings rather than environmental conscientiousness.

IDC's Fliescher said while there are a lot of PR brownie-points to be won around green IT it is still only a question of economics.

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Fliescher said: "There are a number of 'nice to haves' and we can all market around green issues but it is the dollar which is really important."

Gordon Graylish, EMEA head of Intel, said his own commitment to the planet stretches at least as far as realising no planet would mean no more sales for Intel.

He said: "I care about it because the world won't be a great market if it's all bubbling away and half is under water."

But he added equipment manufacturers and businesses such as his own must find ways to make eco-friendly buying decisions easier for consumers and businesses.

Ensuring PCs can go into hibernation and yet restart quickly again will be vital in weaning users off an over-reliance upon stand-by where machines still use up to 96 per cent of normal operating power, said Graylish. Similarly PCs must be able to activate if they are required for an automatic update, to their antivirus protection for example.

Manufacturers have already taken the greatest strides, said Graylish, and it is the user community who are now playing catch-up. "The carbon agenda has become incredibly important from an environmental point of view but also from a board point of view," he said.

Graylish added: "The industry is moving forward at a component level but individuals still aren't thinking about buying decisions or usage."