'Green Shift' taskforce aims to cut IT carbon emissions

 

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By Simon Aughton

Posted on 11 Jun 2007 at 11:36

The government has set up a taskforce to cut CO₂ emissions from IT equipment. IT kit is estimated to generate 35 million tonnes of the 'greenhouse gas' each year.

The 'Green Shift' taskforce will be led by Manchester City Council and will oversee the introduction of 'green PCs' that use 98 per cent less energy than standard computers.

To achieve this, applications will be shifted from the desktop PC, to more energy efficient data centres. As well as cutting the power requirements of the PC, the programme will also bid to make the 'green' desktop smaller. This should help the taskforce achieve its target of a 75 per cent reduction in the resources required to produce computers, the government believes.

Local Government Minister Phil Woolas said that initiatives like this are essential to tackle climate change.

'Cyber-warming is a massive issue and that is why we have taken decisive action with the appointment of the taskforce,' he said. 'The new taskforce is the first of its kind in the world and is a sign of how serious the UK is about tackling this issue.'

A pilot Green Shift programme is set for early 2008 ahead of widespread implementation towards then end of 2009.

See also: Comment: Too much hot air over green PCs