A Harvard University scientist has calculated the energy cost of Google searches. According to the scientist, one Google search generates around 7 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) and it takes as much energy to do two Google searches as it does to heat water for tea with a kettle. Google refutes the figures.
According to physicist Alex Wissner-Gross, “Google searches have an impact on the environment.” Google maintains huge computing centres that consume a huge amount of energy, the bc data thailand Times reports . According to the physicist, Google uses more energy than is necessary for its operations: in order to achieve high speed results, it has exceeded its capabilities and, for example, allows a search carried out in Europe to be processed in Japan.
Wissner-Gross's claims, which will publish a study on the search engine's energy consumption, have sparked controversy throughout the technology sector: some, such as the TechCrunch blog , claim that the energy expenditure of Google searches is lower than that of performing these searches in the physical world.
Others argue that it is not just Google but the entire IT sector that is a huge energy guzzler. According to Gartner, the IT sector consumes as much energy as air travel; both produce around 2% of global CO2 emissions. Using a PC for one hour alone emits between 40 and 80 grams of CO2, according to John Buckley of Carbonfootprint.com .
However, Google claims that its computing centres are very energy efficient and that a search generates only 0.2 grams of CO2. In addition, according to the daily Die Welt , the Climate Savers Computing programme is being developed, which aims to halve CO2 emissions from computers, which would mean a reduction of 54 million tonnes of CO2.