Exponential online growth is 'not sustainable', say scientists

The internet will become a major consumer of power in the years ahead, creating an 'energy bottleneck' that could mean price increases and service slowdowns.

In a world-first model of internet power consumption, University of Melbourne researchers have identified the major contributors to Internet power consumption as the take-up of broadband services increases.

New services such as high-def video on demand, real-time web gaming, P2P networking, video conferencing and tele-working will increase demand for bandwidth.

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The European Commission last week released a detailed set of benchmarks to guide IT managers toward the most energy-efficient practices as they build new facilities or upgrade existing data centres.

Part of the EC's Joint Research Centre, the Institute for Energy unveiled its "Code of Conduct on Data Centres Energy Efficiency" last week to help move public- and private-sector data centres toward the most efficient energy use possible.

Among the goals of the code of conduct are to "develop and promote a set of easily understood metrics to measure the current efficiencies and improvement going forward"; to raise awareness among managers, owners and others to help them understand the importance and benefits of energy efficiency in data centres; and the development and promotion of new, energy efficient technologies; and set efficiency targets for owners and managers of data centre facilities.

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The Vatican is a recent convert to the theology of renewables

An opinion poll in 11 countries has produced what organisers term a "global mandate" for action on climate change.

About half of the respondents wanted governments to play a major role in curbing emissions, but only a quarter said their leaders were doing enough.

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The economic slowdown is having one good effect

California tried to save the world again this week. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the state’s governor, rounded up politicians and officials from across the globe (expending quite a bit of carbon) and urged them to tackle climate change more aggressively. To set an example, he ordered state power companies to obtain one-third of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. California is indeed leading the way in cutting greenhouse-gas emissions—but not for the reason it might want.

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Britain decides that climate change is too important to leave to the politicians

“Give me chastity and continence, but not yet,” Saint Augustine besought God more than a millennium ago. Those worried by global warming but unwilling to change their behaviour take a similar approach. Evidence of the damage that economic activity does to the planet is mounting, but given the cheapness and convenience of fossil fuels, the temptation to avoid tackling climate change for just another year (and another and another) is hard to resist. This is even truer as economic woes mount.

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