13 June 2007

Google joins major Climate Savers Computing Initiative

Google, the world's most popular search engine, has announced it is joining forces with a number of leading IT firms to tackle emissions.

The broad effort has been put together to drive energy efficient computing, in a bid to save $5.5 billion (2.8 million pounds) a year in energy costs.

Google has joined forces with Microsoft, Dell, Intel, IBM, Lenovo, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and many more firms to launch the Climate Saver Computing Initiative, which also hopes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tonnes per year.

Google revealed that the goal of the new initiative is to save energy and reduce emissions by setting "aggressive new targets for energy-efficient computers and components".

Urs Hölzle, Google's senior vice president of operations, said: "Today, the average desktop PC wastes nearly half of its power and the average server wastes one-third of its power.

"We are asking businesses and individuals throughout the world to join with us to institute better power management of their computing equipment and purchase energy-efficient computers."

According to Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's Digital Enterprise Group, the initiative will cut emissions in an equal amount to removing 11 million cars from the road by 2010.

Computer and component manufacturers supporting the drive will have to meet EPA Energy Star guidelines when building new energy-efficient products.

John Donoghue, senior vice president for the WWF, said it was the first time the Climate Savers programme had been applied to an entire sector, adding: "We are pleased to join these industry leaders to provide solutions to address climate change."

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