A recent report by McKinsey and Co.(http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/How_IT_can_cut_carbon_emissions_2221)estimates that information and communications technologies (laptops, PCs, data centers, computing networks, mobile phones and telecommunications) could become the biggest greenhouse gas emitters by 2020. The figures calculated in the report factor in anticipated energy efficiency improvements for these technologies, making it quite alarming. The report claims “The adoption and use of information and communications technologies in China, India and other developing economies will account for much of this growth” as “emerging countries go digital.” The somewhat soothing news in the report deals with how information and communications technologies offset emissions in the general economy.McKinsey and Co. calculates that information and communications technologies will offset 5 times their projected emissions for 2020, so it seems that the IT sector is still on the positive side for the environment.

What I find to be interesting and where I like to think about what is possible is looking at not only how the design of these technologies can be improved, but how these calculations could change by the energy source. The manufacturing and use of PCs will double by 2020, mobile phones will triple and the biggest carbon contributor will be data centers. Using coal, oil or natural gas as the main energy source to power our computers and phone chargers will always be a dirty business; but how would the calculations given by McKinsey & Co. change when taking different energy sources into consideration? Even if the numbers would have stayed the same in relative terms, I think the report could have made an even bigger impact on the utilities end if it would have also included alternative energy sources for a comparative exercise. <

In any case, this is a must read report and is great for thinking about cradle-to-cradle design opportunities and impacts for the IT sector.