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Chapter 12
Green Cloud Computing:
Opportunities and Challenges

Amit Kumar Tyagi

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2657-8700
National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, India

Aswathy K. Cherian
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3679-2583
SRM IST University, Chennai, India

Shrikant Tiwari
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6947-2362
Galgotias University, Greater Noida, India

ABSTRACT
Green cloud computing has emerged as a critical area of research and development in response to the
escalating environmental impact of traditional data centers. This chapter investigates the opportunities
and challenges associated with the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices in cloud comput-
ing. The ever-growing demand for computational resources necessitates a paradigm shift towards more
energy-efficient and eco-friendly solutions. The opportunities presented by green cloud computing lie
in the potential to significantly reduce carbon footprints and energy consumption. The integration of
renewable energy sources, energy-efficient hardware, and optimized resource allocation techniques
contribute to minimizing the environmental impact of cloud infrastructure. Additionally, the implementa-
tion of virtualization and consolidation strategies enhances server utilization, further improving energy
efficiency. However, the realization of these opportunities is accompanied by a set of challenges.

DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3693-5247-2.ch012

Copyright © 2024, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.

Green Cloud Computing

1. INTRODUCTION TO GREEN CLOUD COMPUTING

1.1 Overview of Green Cloud Computing

The idea behind “green cloud computing” is to reduce the negative impact on the environment and
increase the efficiency of cloud computing systems. This programme aims to decrease the resource use
and carbon footprint associated with cloud computing. Reducing the environmental impact of cloud
services is the primary objective of green cloud computing (Li, G., Zhang, Z., Lin, K. J., & Zhong, L.
2011) (Beloglazov, A., & Buyya, R. (2010) (Mao, M., Zhang, S., & Chen, S., 2012). This is achieved via
optimising resource management, using renewable energy sources, and using energy-efficient procedures.
There are several important aspects and challenges in the field of green cloud computing:

• Energy Efficiency: The idea of creating and running data centres in an energy-efficient way is
fundamental to green cloud computing. Utilising energy-efficient hardware components, imple-
menting better cooling systems, and optimising power distribution and utilisation are all part of
the package. Improving resource utilisation and drastically reducing energy usage and consump-
tion are both made feasible by virtualization technologies, which allow task consolidation onto a
smaller number of physical servers.
• Renewable Energy Integration: The use of renewable energy sources is key to green cloud comput-
ing’s approach to powering data centres. Cloud providers may reduce their carbon footprint and
reliance on fossil fuels by powering their operations with renewable energy. This includes solar,
wind, hydroelectric, and similar technologies. Incorporating renewable energy sources into data
centres requires careful planning, infrastructure design, and collaboration with energy providers.
• Resource Optimization: Green cloud computing relies heavily on efficient management of re-
sources. Energy-aware algorithms and policies can optimise power usage without sacrificing per-
formance by dynamically allocating computer resources based on demand. Task scheduling, load
balancing, and power management are some of the methods that may be used to achieve better
resource utilisation and energy efficiency.
• Lifecycle Management: Throughout the whole lifecycle of a cloud service—from production to
operation to disposal—the idea of green cloud computing considers environmental impacts. It is
essential to reduce electronic waste, use effective recycling and disposal methods, and use hard-
ware components that are kind to the environment. Reducing the environmental effect of cloud
services is possible through the adoption of circular economy principles, which promote the sus-
tainable use of resources.
• Environmental Metrics and Reporting: Precise monitoring and reporting of ecological impact
metrics is important for environmentally conscious cloud computing. Using agreed metrics, we
can assess and contrast the environmental performance of different cloud providers. Efficient use
of power (PUE), carbon (CUE), and water (WUE) are a few examples of such measurement sys-
tems. With open and honest information, customers can make informed choices about the impact
of cloud services on the environment.
• Green Policies and Incentives: The involvement of governments and regulatory agencies in sup-
porting eco-friendly cloud computing is important. Renewable energy sources and energy-effi-
cient practices in the cloud can be promoted through financial incentives, new rules, and regula-

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tion. Possible strategies to promote the creation and maintenance of ecologically conscious cloud
infrastructure include tax incentives, subsidies, and certification schemes.

Remember that green cloud computing has several benefits, such as reducing energy consumption,
operational expenditures, carbon emissions, and having a positive impact on the environment (Srirama,
S. N., & Buyya, R. 2012) (Zhan, J., Deng, X., et al., 2013). Businesses’ attempts to meet their CSR
requirements and achieve their broader sustainability objectives are both aided by this. With the con-
tinued growth of cloud computing, the adoption of ecologically conscious cloud computing practices
is gaining prominence. Integrating energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy sources, resource
optimisation, and responsible lifecycle management responsibilities pave the way for an IT sector that
is more ecologically aware and sustainable through green cloud computing.

1.2 Importance of Energy Efficiency in Cloud Computing

There are several important reasons why energy efficiency is important in cloud computing, such as:

• The environmental impact: data centres that house cloud computing services consume large
amounts of energy for cooling and powering their operations. Data centres contribute to environ-
mental harm and carbon dioxide emissions due to the quantity of energy they require. Developing
and implementing energy efficiency solutions can help cloud service providers significantly re-
duce their carbon footprint and decrease their impact on the environment.
• Saving Money: Data centres frequently incur substantial operational expenditures, with energy
costs making up a sizable portion of that total. Providers of cloud services can cut costs by re-
ducing their overall energy consumption through the adoption of more energy-efficient practices
(Gupta, S., Grover, S., Kumar, P., & Chana, I. 2017) (Ahmadian, A., Ameri, M., & Taheri, J.
2017). Reduced electricity consumption means more money in the pockets of service providers
and customers alike thanks to virtualization technologies, improved cooling systems, and energy-
efficient hardware.
• Energy efficiency helps cloud service companies scale their operations, which in turn increases
their capacity. By optimising resource utilisation and implementing energy-efficient designs, data
centres can handle increasing workloads and client needs without increasing their energy usage.
Efficient resource management allows for the most effective use of computer resources, which in
turn leads to increased scalability and less waste.
• Consumer Interest in Eco-Friendly Products: More and more people and businesses are concerned
about their influence on the environment, and they are seeking out greener options. One competi-
tive advantage that cloud service providers might have is the ability to attract environmentally
sensitive clientele. Energy efficiency and environmental sustainability should be prioritised in
order to acquire this advantage. Environmentally friendly methods may boost customer loyalty
and demand while also improving a supplier’s reputation.
• Resource Conservation: By lowering energy use, cloud computing helps save valuable resources.
Designing with energy efficiency in mind reduces the strain on power systems and the need for
fossil fuels. Both the ecology and the reliability of electricity networks benefit from this resource-
saving technique.

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• There has been a lot of innovation in hardware, software, and infrastructure technologies driven
by the need to make things more energy efficient. Improvements in cooling systems, power man-
agement tactics, virtualization technologies, and energy-efficient CPUs will benefit the whole IT
industry. The rise of cloud computing has accelerated the pace of innovation in energy-efficient
technologies, which could impact other sectors.

Ultimately, cloud computing’s energy efficiency is important for many reasons, such as lowering
costs, facilitating scalability, reducing environmental impact, satisfying consumer needs, preserving
resources, and promoting technological advancements (Rong, C., Nguyen, S. T., & Jaatun, M. G. 2013)
(Huang, D., Guo, S., et al., 2017). Implementing this important component of ethical and environmentally
sustainable cloud computing operations will benefit both businesses and the environment.

1.3 Objectives of This Work

This work is summarized in 10 sections.

2. ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN CLOUD COMPUTING

2.1 Energy Consumption Trends in Data Centers

Concerns about data centres’ excessive energy use have been on the rise in tandem with the popularity
of cloud services and other forms of digital technology. Important developments in data centre energy
use include the following:

• The use of virtualization and server consolidation has proved important in improving energy ef-
ficiency. The advancement of energy efficiency may be attributed in large part to these technolo-
gies. By utilising virtualization approaches and consolidating several physical servers onto fewer
hardware resources, data centres may increase resource utilisation while minimising energy con-
sumption. As a result of this trend, we have improved our energy usage and reduced the number
of underutilised servers.
• Processors, memory modules, storage devices, and networking gear that consumes less energy is
becoming more popular among data centre operators. For the time being, this pattern is predicted
to hold. The server industry is now focused on developing more power-efficient designs in an ef-
fort to decrease power consumption without sacrificing performance. Specialised accelerators and
low-power central processing units are examples of these designs.
• Improved Cooling Efficiency: Data centres’ cooling systems are a major source of their energy
bills. In order to improve the effectiveness of their cooling systems, data centres are integrating
sophisticated cooling technologies such as liquid cooling, economizers, and hot aisle/cold aisle
configurations. These methods have the potential to lower cooling energy requirements while
keeping operational temperatures where they should be.
• Using energy from sustainable sources: Renewable energy sources are quickly replacing tradi-
tional power sources for data centres. In an effort to lessen their impact on the environment, some
massive data centres are acquiring renewable energy certificates, putting solar panels on site, or

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developing wind farms. A data center’s overall environmental effect can be lessened by the use of
renewable energy sources, which lessens reliance on fossil fuels.
• Updates to the measurement of power use effectiveness (PUE): Data centres’ environmental ef-
fect may be measured using Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) or any similar metric. Data centres
have long prioritised improving their power utilisation efficiency (PUE) through infrastructural
optimisation, cooling system efficacy, and the deployment of more energy-efficient technology.
An improved energy efficiency and less energy waste are shown by a lower PUE value.
• Energy Management and Monitoring: Data centres are increasingly using advanced energy man-
agement and monitoring technologies to keep tabs on and improve their energy use. With the
help of sophisticated energy management systems and real-time monitoring, data centre operators
may identify high-energy-use areas, optimise the placement of workloads, and implement energy-
saving regulations. The data provided by these systems allows for both continuous improvement
and greater energy efficiency.
• Governments and industry groups are working on regulations and standards to improve data cen-
tre energy efficiency. The goal of implementing these rules and regulations is to improve energy
efficiency. Implementing schemes like the ENERGY STAR programme for data centres and the
European Code of Conduct for data centres can help achieve this goal by providing guidelines and
standards for data centre energy efficiency. Data centres that follow these rules and regulations are
more likely to implement energy-saving practices.

These shifts have prompted businesses to look for solutions to the problems caused by data centres’
excessive energy use (Jing, L., & He, H., 2014) (Li, Q., & Buyya, R., 2010) (Yang, C., Chen, L., et al.,
2012) (Al-Fares, M., Loukissas, A., & Vahdat, A. 2008) (Tyagi, A.K., 2022). Data centres strive for
greater energy efficiency and less environmental effect through the use of virtualization, advanced cooling
techniques, renewable energy sources, virtualization, virtualization, and enhanced energy management
systems. Consistent innovation, collaboration, and adherence to standards aimed at optimising energy
efficiency will propel future gains even further.

2.2 Environmental Impact of Cloud Computing

The environmental impacts of cloud computing might be positive or negative. Despite its many advan-
tages in resource efficiency and scalability, it causes problems with energy consumption and carbon
emissions. Additionally, it provides other benefits. Here are a few key aspects about the impact of cloud
computing on the environment:

• A lot of energy is consumed by cloud data centres since they need a lot of electricity to power
and cool their infrastructure. Data centres impose a strain on local power grids and add to global
warming pollution through their energy use. Cloud computing facilitates resource consolida-
tion and virtualization, which can lead to better energy efficiency, as compared to traditional IT
infrastructure.
• Pollutant Discharges: Both the direct and indirect emissions of carbon are accounted for in the
carbon footprint of cloud computing. Data centres produce direct emissions as a result of their
operations, which involve power consumption and the operation of cooling systems. Servers and
networking devices, together with their production and eventual disposal, are major sources of

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indirect emissions in the IT industry. Through the implementation of energy-efficient practices

and the utilisation of renewable energy sources, data centres may help reduce carbon emissions.
• Cloud computing allows for the consolidation and virtualization of servers, allowing for better
utilisation of existing resources. By pooling their customers’ computer resources, cloud compa-
nies may achieve better server utilisation rates. The cloud provider’s overall energy usage per job
is reduced as a result of this. However, environmental efficiency can still be impacted by insuf-
ficient resource allocation and poor utilisation rates.
• Data Centre Cooling Systems: Data centre cooling systems can involve a substantial amount of
energy. Minimising energy consumption is feasible through the optimisation of cooling infrastruc-
ture and the adoption of more efficient cooling technologies, including economizers and liquid
cooling. Data centre operators are looking at new cooling technologies to help their buildings use
less energy.
• Cloud computing relies on a broad array of electronic equipment, which means that it produces
a substantial amount of electronic waste. The production, upkeep, and eventual disposal of IT
equipment have the potential to affect the natural world if not managed properly. Reducing the en-
vironmental effect requires both appropriate disposal methods and responsible e-waste recycling.
• Where and How Data Centres Are Located: Data centres’ impact on the environment might vary
depending on where they are located. A number of elements can influence the overall environ-
mental effect, including the accessibility of sustainable power infrastructures, the existence of
cool temperatures, and the geographic closeness to renewable energy sources. By using renewable
energy sources and choosing environmentally friendly locations, data centres may lessen their
impact on the environment.
• Multi-Tenancy Efficiency: Since several clients share the same infrastructure in the cloud, re-
source efficiency may be improved through the multi-tenancy paradigm. By combining users’
workloads, cloud providers may increase utilisation rates and do away with the need for individual
servers on-premises. Conversely, to prevent unforeseen consequences, data isolation and security
measures must be put into place.
• Green Initiatives and Environmental Certifications: A growing number of cloud companies are
embracing green efforts and striving for environmental certifications. For instance, they support
sustainable infrastructure designs, invest in renewable energy sources, and adopt energy-efficient
activities. A dedication to environmentally friendly corporate practices is demonstrated, for in-
stance, by certifications such as ISO 14001 and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design).

We must prioritise energy efficiency, include renewable energy sources, handle electronic trash
responsibly, and build sustainable infrastructure if we want to lessen the environmental impact of cloud
computing. Collaboration between cloud providers, governments, and industry groups is necessary to set
regulations, standards, and incentives that promote green cloud computing. Constant innovation along
with eco-friendly tech is essential for making cloud services even more sustainable.

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2.3 Challenges in Reducing Energy Consumption

Using Cloud Computing Services

There are a lot of problems that cloud service providers need to fix before they can lower their energy
use. A few of the most major obstacles are these:

• Allocation and utilisation of resources: Allocating and using resources properly is important for
reducing energy use. However, keeping utilisation rates high while dynamically allocating re-
sources to meet unpredictable demands could be challenging. To ensure that resources are avail-
able when needed while energy is used efficiently, it is important to have advanced algorithms for
managing resources and techniques for optimising workloads.
• Although virtualization encourages better resource utilisation, it also introduces additional over-
head, which might impact energy efficiency. The hypervisor layer and virtualization software
necessitate processing power and memory, leading to an increase in energy consumption. Finding
a happy medium between virtualization’s benefits and the costs it causes is important for optimis-
ing energy efficiency.
• Cooling Needs: A large portion of a data center’s total energy usage goes into cooling the facility.
Information technology equipment requires efficient cooling methods to keep it at a proper tem-
perature. Yet, cooling challenges like hot spots and inefficient cooling systems may be addressed
with careful infrastructure design, airflow management, and cooling technologies, all while mini-
mising energy use.
• Optimisation of Hardware: Reduced energy consumption is mostly attributable to hardware com-
ponents’ energy efficiency, including servers, storage devices, and networking gear. Regardless,
it’s possible that older equipment is less energy efficient, and it might be costly to upgrade infra-
structure to newer, more efficient gear. Finding a happy medium between reducing hardware inef-
ficiencies and increasing hardware efficiency is a problem for cloud service providers.
• Challenges Facing More Than One Renter: Problems with achieving energy efficiency arise from
the multi-tenancy model of cloud computing, wherein several customers use the same infrastruc-
ture. To maximise resource utilisation, safeguard sensitive data, and isolate workloads, sophisti-
cated management and isolation approaches are required.
• Their energy consumption is affected by both their physical location and the limitations placed on
them by the power system. Renewable energy sources’ scarcity, proximity to power networks, and
local regulations are only a few of the variables that could impact energy choices. Data centres
may have challenges in reducing their energy use if they are unable to connect to local power grids
or obtain access to renewable energy sources.
• When using the cloud, you may have to choose between energy efficiency and performance. Quite
simply, cloud computing’s energy efficiency and performance are not the same thing. Aggressive
energy-saving measures, including reducing resources or combining workloads, may impact ap-
plication performance and even the user experience. A difficulty for cloud service providers is
figuring out how to meet performance requirements while reducing energy consumption to an
appropriate level.

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This means that a comprehensive strategy is necessary for success in overcoming these challenges.
This strategy must to incorporate new technological advancements, algorithms for effective resource
management, cooperation within the business, and support from regulators. Research and innovation
in areas such as designing energy-efficient hardware, optimising workloads, cooling technologies, and
integrating renewable energy sources are important for overcoming these issues and achieving sustain-
able energy usage in cloud computing services.

3. GREEN COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES

3.1 Virtualization and Server Consolidation for Green Cloud Computing

Virtualization and server consolidation are essential measures that must be taken to promote green
cloud computing and increase energy efficiency. Virtualization and server consolidation help provide
eco-friendly cloud services by doing the following:

• Enhanced Use of Available Resources Through the use of virtualization, it is feasible to run sev-
eral virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical server, leading to better utilisation of resources.
By reducing the number of physical servers needed to handle workloads, resource utilisation rates
can be significantly improved. Consolidation has led to an optimisation of energy use by reducing
the number of unused servers and eliminating the need to maintain surplus hardware.
• Server Power Efficiency: Servers can run closer to their maximum capacity using virtualization,
allowing for more efficient power usage. Conventional servers sometimes run at lower utilisation
rates, leading to less efficient use of energy. Thanks to virtualization, server capacity may be eas-
ily increased or decreased to meet fluctuating workload demands. This contributes to the efficient
distribution of resources. The server’s power efficiency is improved and its energy consumption
is reduced as a result.
• A decrease in the duration of server downtime: Virtualization allows for server consolidation,
which reduces the number of physical servers and makes upgrades and maintenance easier. By
pooling their resources, these servers reduce the amount of downtime required for physical server
maintenance. This results in less energy consumption during server downtime, which includes
less power utilised for idle functions and less cooling needed for offline servers.
• Data centres are able to reduce their cooling costs and boost their cooling efficiency by consolidat-
ing servers and reducing physical equipment. Less heat is produced by fewer servers, leading to a
decrease in the requirement for cooling. The quantity of energy needed for cooling can be reduced
by designing and optimising cooling systems to fit the lower footprint of the infrastructure.
• The ability to effectively manage hardware lifecycles is one of the many benefits of virtualization.
It is possible to retire or reuse hardware without impacting services by transferring virtual ma-
chines (VMs) to newer hardware. This system’s adaptability promotes good practices for manag-
ing electronic waste and aids in the reduction of electronic rubbish.
• Virtualization provides cloud services with scalability and operational flexibility. Better manage-
ment of load balancing and resource allocation could be possible with the ability to easily move
workloads between various physical servers. Due to its flexibility, it is possible to improve re-
source utilisation, decrease energy waste, and respond to changes in job requirements.

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• Two elements that contribute to the creation of green data centres are the usage of virtualization
and the consolidation of servers. When data centres reduce the number of physical servers, they
may improve the efficiency of their cooling systems, power distribution, and space utilisation.
Data centres’ environmental effect is lessened and energy efficiency is increased as a result of this
design concept.

Keep in mind that virtualization and server consolidation have great potential for energy savings, but
they also require careful planning and execution for optimal performance. To achieve energy savings
goals while still meeting performance requirements, optimisation of certain areas including workload
placement, virtual machine density, and resource allocation algorithms is required. The two primary ap-
proaches to achieving energy efficiency and promoting green cloud computing are server consolidation
and virtualization. By enhancing resource utilisation, decreasing energy use, and optimising infrastructure,
these techniques lead to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly cloud computing ecosystem.

3.2 Dynamic Resource Management and Load Balancing

To optimise resource utilisation and achieve energy economy in cloud computing, two important com-
ponents are dynamic resource management and load balancing. Below, we’ve outlined a few key points
of green cloud computing, such as dynamic resource management and load balancing:

• The phrase “dynamic resource management” describes how computer resources are adjusted in
real-time to meet the demands of running programmes or other tasks. It ensures efficient use of
resources while also making sure performance requirements are satisfied. Dynamic resource man-
agement relies on the following key components:
• supplying Materials: As part of dynamic resource management, resources are allocated accord-
ing to the present workload. Automatically increasing or decreasing the number of containers or
virtual machines (VMs), providing storage resources on demand, and adjusting CPU and RAM
allocations are all part of this.
• It is important for cloud services to be able to adjust their resources to meet fluctuating demand.
We call this flexibility. Thanks to elasticity, this feature may be automated by adding or removing
resources based on specified criteria or workload patterns. On top of making sure resources are
available when needed, this also helps keep energy usage down when demand is low.
• Resource Migration: With dynamic resource management, you can easily transfer containers or
virtual machines (VMs) to a different physical server. This helps to maximise resource utilisa-
tion and keep the system’s burden evenly distributed. Workloads that are already running can be
moved utilising live migration techniques without affecting the service in any way. Better load
balancing and distribution of resources are the outcomes of this.
• Predictive Resource Management: State-of-the-art approaches to managing resources utilise algo-
rithms for machine learning and predictive analytics to identify trends in workload and resource
needs. By looking at patterns and data from the past, resource managers may proactively assign
resources to meet future demands. They can reduce energy loss while maximising resource use
in this way.

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The purpose of load balancing is to enhance performance, prevent specific servers from being over-
crowded, and optimise the utilisation of computer resources by distributing workloads equally across
them. When it comes to load balancing, certain methods work better than others:

• Traffic Distribution: Least Connections, Round-Robin, and Weighted Distribution are just a few of
the methods that load balancers use to distribute incoming network traffic among several servers.
This ensures that workloads are distributed evenly, which helps to prevent servers from becoming
overwhelmed and improves resource utilisation overall.
• Workload Monitoring: Load balancers should be kept in the loop on the status and utilisation of
servers’ resources and performance. Monitoring resources like CPU utilisation, memory usage,
and network traffic allows load balancers to make informed decisions about task allocation and
resource distribution. Factors including server availability, capacity, and performance are consid-
ered in these selections.
• Load balancers can adapt to new workload patterns with the help of dynamic load balancing.
Their ability to adapt workload distributions in real-time in response to factors like server avail-
ability, response times, and network congestion is impressive. Dynamic load balancing ensures
optimal resource utilisation and continuous adaptability to fluctuating demand.
There are several benefits of using green cloud computing: An assortment of ways in which load
balancing and dynamic resource management help to environmentally friendly cloud computing
are listed below:
• Optimal Use of Resources: By distributing resources dynamically according to workload de-
mands, resource management promotes optimal utilisation. In the long run, this helps cut down
on energy waste and boosts efficiency.
• Improving the Efficiency of the Application: In order to improve application performance and re-
duce resource bottlenecks, load balancing techniques ensure that workloads are distributed evenly
among servers. Doing so improves resource utilisation and decreases the need for overprovisioning.
• Elasticity and scalability capabilities: Allocating more or fewer resources in reaction to fluctuat-
ing demand is possible with dynamic resource management. This kind of scalability encourages
adaptability and enables optimal use of resources, which in turn decreases energy consumption
during periods of low demand. By spreading the burden over many servers, load balancing makes
them more resilient to failures. One advantage of load balancing is fault tolerance. It is possible to
have workloads moved to other available servers automatically in the event that one of them goes
down. This lessens the time the server is down and helps keep service uninterrupted.
• Predictive Resource Allocation: Proactive resource allocation is made feasible via the implemen-
tation of modern resource management methods that utilise predictive analytics. It is feasible to
allocate resources in advance by forecasting workload and demand patterns; this reduces energy
waste and makes better use of available resources. Optimal resource utilisation and energy effi-
ciency in cloud computing may be achieved via the implementation of dynamic resource manage-
ment and load balancing algorithms.

Hence, by improving workload distribution, dynamically modifying resource allocations, and fore-
casting resource demands, these ideas assist to contribute to green cloud computing.

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3.3 Renewable Energy Integration in Data Centers

One of the most important steps in making cloud computing more environmentally friendly and sus-
tainable is powering data centres with renewable energy. The main benefits of using renewable energy
sources in data centres are as follows:

• Renewable Energy production on-Site: Data centres may include renewable energy production
technologies into their facilities. Wind turbines, solar panels, or even geothermal systems might
be part of these systems. These systems help lessen reliance on grid power that comes from fos-
sil fuels by producing electricity from renewable sources. When data centres generate their own
power from renewable sources, they are able to use clean energy in their operations without a
middleman.
• Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Data centres can team up with renewable energy providers
to buy power. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) allow for the direct purchase of renewable en-
ergy from renewable energy projects such as wind farms, solar farms, and others. This means that
data centres may still help generate and use clean energy, even when it’s impractical or insufficient
to do so on-site.
• Certificates representing the production of one megawatt-hour (MWh) of renewable energy are
known as renewable energy certificates (RECs). Energy from renewable sources is known as
RECs. Data centres may help the renewable energy industry expand by purchasing renewable en-
ergy credits (RECs) from projects that generate renewable energy. This would lessen their impact
on the environment and the market. Data centres can use renewable energy certificates (RECs) to
claim they are using renewable energy even while they aren’t physically connected to renewable
power sources.
• Interaction with the Electrical Grid and Net Metering: Data centres may talk to the power grid
and use net metering software. If data centres have more renewable energy than they need, they
can feed it back into the grid using net metering. They can make up for their energy use during
periods when generation is low by doing this. In turn, this ensures that renewable energy sources’
contributions are balanced with the energy that is pulled from the grid.
• Combining renewable energy generation with energy storage devices like batteries allows data
centres to store excess renewable energy for usage during peak demand or periods of low renew-
able energy supply. Reduce reliance on grid power and increase energy efficiency by utilising
energy storage devices to provide a consistent and uninterrupted flow of power from renewable
sources.
• Demand Response Programmes: Data centres can adjust their energy use in response to changes
in the grid’s capacity or the availability of renewable energy sources by participating in demand
response programmes. By reducing their energy use during peak demand or periods when renew-
able energy is limited, data centres contribute to grid stability and encourage the incorporation of
renewable power sources.
• Strategies for Green Power Procurement: Data centres might prioritise cloud service providers
and colocation facilities who have committed to using renewable energy. Data centres help in-
crease the demand for renewable energy and establish relationships with providers who prioritise
green power procurement, which in turn helps expand clean energy output.

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• Before implementing renewable energy sources, data centres should focus on energy efficiency to
reduce total energy use. For the simple reason that implementing energy efficiency measures can
lead to a general decrease in energy usage. Proper utilisation of renewable energy sources and re-
duction of energy waste are both achievable goals with the help of energy-efficient infrastructure,
server consolidation, cooling optimisation, and power management strategies.

It should be remembered that integrating renewable energy sources into data centres calls for careful
preparation, infrastructure design, and cooperation with power suppliers. Site selection, feasibility studies,
fiscal investments, and regulatory compliance are just a few of the obstacles that must be overcome. When
data centres see the need to incorporate renewable energy sources, they help create a greener future by
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and promoting the usage of this type of energy in the IT industry.

4. ENERGY-AWARE RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND

SCHEDULING FOR GREEN CLOUD COMPUTING

4.1 Energy-Aware Task Scheduling Algorithms for Green Cloud Computing

An integral part of promoting green computing and energy efficiency in cloud environments is energy-
aware work scheduling algorithms. These algorithms are developed with the aim of efficiently allocating
computing workloads to available resources, all the while considering energy use constraints. Some of
the most important parts and approaches of energy-aware job scheduling algorithms are:

• Energy Models and Consumption Estimation: In order to determine how much power different
resources and tasks use, task scheduling algorithms that take energy consumption into account
often use energy models and estimation methods. In order to estimate the amount of power needed
to execute certain actions, these models consider many characteristics, such as CPU utilisation,
memory utilisation, and communication overhead.
• To ensure that resources run in low-power or sleep modes while they are not being used, task
scheduling algorithms can utilise power state management methodologies. Job scheduling on re-
sources in states that optimise energy efficiency can lead to a decrease in energy consumption. In
order to prevent unnecessary delays, the algorithms should factor in the time required to change
power states.
• Reducing the number of active resources required to complete a given work is the primary objec-
tive of energy-aware task scheduling algorithms. The process of migrating and consolidating tasks
does this. Reduced energy consumption is achieved by intelligent job assignment, which allows
for the deactivation of unused or underutilised resources. Utilising task migration techniques al-
lows for the dynamic balancing of workloads across resources. In this way, efficiency in energy
consumption may be maximised without sacrificing performance.
• Algorithms for scheduling tasks take into account load balancing and resource utilisation to ensure
the lowest feasible energy use. In order to avoid wasting energy and using unnecessary resources,
it is important to divide tasks fairly across them. This ensures that no resource is overloaded. By
making better use of available resources, we can keep power consumption per work from going
up due to underutilization.

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• Scheduling using Predictive Algorithms: These algorithms employ and incorporate past workload
data and workload prediction models to anticipate future workload trends. By projecting future re-
source demands, task scheduling may proactively allocate resources. Because of this, less energy
is lost as a result of under- or over-provisioning of resources.
• When planning tasks, energy-aware algorithms think about things like communication overhead
and data localization features to see how to cut down on power use. You may lower the amount of
energy consumed for network connectivity and the associated energy consumption by scheduling
jobs that require large data transfers on resources that are closer to the data source. It is possible
to reduce energy usage by colocating tasks that need a high degree of connectivity, which in turn
reduces data transmission distances.
• Energy-aware task scheduling algorithms can prioritise jobs based on their significance or due
dates. This feature is known as task prioritisation. Assigning higher priority tasks to resources
with better energy efficiency is one way to reduce energy consumption for time-sensitive or es-
sential workloads.

Finally, it is essential to understand the workload characteristics, resource capabilities, and energy
consumption profile distribution in depth in order to build task scheduling algorithms that are energy
sensitive. By optimising decisions on job allocation, cloud computing systems might potentially bring
about higher energy efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and enhanced sustainability.

4.2 Dynamic Resource Provisioning and Allocation for Green Cloud Computing

Achieving the objectives of green cloud computing relies heavily on dynamic resource allocation and
provisioning. By carefully controlling their resources, cloud service providers may greatly reduce their
carbon emissions, optimise the utilisation of their resources, and decrease their energy consumption.
Here is a rundown of some of the numerous approaches utilised by green cloud computing to dynami-
cally provide and allocate resources:

• To ensure the most efficient utilisation of resources, load balancing involves distributing work-
loads over many servers or virtual machines. By using dynamic load balancing, cloud service
providers may keep their servers from being overwhelmed and cut down on energy waste. Load
balancing algorithms consider several factors, such as CPU utilisation, memory use, and network
traffic, to allocate resources appropriately.
• By merging several VMs into one smaller set of servers, virtual machine (VM) consolidation aims
to reduce the number of physical servers that are being used. The merging of virtual machines
makes this possible. Utilising this technology leads to a decrease in energy consumption and an
increase in resource utilisation by eliminating underutilised or idle servers. In order to consoli-
date virtual machines (VMs) in a way that maintains performance and service level agreements,
dynamic VM consolidation algorithms are responsible for continuously evaluating resource de-
mands and making intelligent decisions.
• Considering Power Consumption in Task Scheduling When allocating resources to jobs, power-
aware task scheduling algorithms consider both performance and energy consumption factors. By
strategically allocating tasks to power-efficient servers or virtual machines (VMs), cloud providers
may improve resource allocation while reducing overall energy consumption. In order to make ef-

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ficient and effective scheduling decisions, these algorithms examine several factors, such as server
power profiles, work priorities, and communication costs.
• Allocation of Resources Bearing Renewable Energy Sources in Mind By factoring in the avail-
ability and utilisation of renewable energy sources, resource allocation algorithms may promote
sustainability in green cloud computing. The ability to dynamically allocate resources to data cen-
tres powered by renewable energy sources allows cloud service providers to maximise the usage
of clean energy while decreasing their reliance on power networks fuelled by fossil fuels. Energy
availability, energy cost, and workload allocation among renewable energy data centres are only a
few of the criteria taken into consideration by these algorithms.

Hence, Providers of cloud services may improve resource utilisation, decrease energy consumption,
and limit carbon emissions in green cloud computing environments by using these dynamic resource
provisioning and allocation approaches. The reason behind this is that these techniques enable the dynamic
allocation and delivery of resources. The overarching goal of creating efficient and environmentally
friendly cloud services is advanced by these tactics.

4.3 Energy-Efficient Virtual Machine Placement for Green Cloud Computing

Efficient deployment of virtual machines (VMs) is a important aspect of environmentally conscious

cloud computing. In this aspect of green cloud computing, virtual machines (VMs) are best allocated to
real servers in a way that maximises resource utilisation and minimises energy use. When deciding how
to deploy virtual machines, it’s important to think about things like server power consumption, workload
characteristics, and resource requirements. In green cloud computing, some energy-efficient methods
for deploying virtual machines are:

• Placement Based on Consolidation: This approach aims to reduce the power consumption of vir-
tual machines by putting them all on a smaller number of physical servers. Virtual machines
(VMs) with similar resource requirements and workload characteristics can be pooled together to
increase total server utilisation. Underutilised servers may crash or be consolidated as a result of
this. Virtual machine (VM) placement algorithms take into account VM resource requirements,
allocate them to servers that can fulfil those demands, and all the while keep performance and
SLAs intact.
• Load-Aware Placement: Utilising the current workload distribution across physical servers, load-
aware placement algorithms generate informed placement recommendations. Avoiding server
overload, which might lead to higher energy usage, is the objective of these algorithms. Virtual
machines (VMs) run on servers with evenly distributed loads, allowing this to happen. The goal of
load-aware placement is to distribute virtual machines among servers that have available resources
by taking measures like CPU utilisation, memory use, and network traffic into account.
• One method is power-aware virtual machine placement, which involves allocating VMs to servers
based on their power consumption characteristics. This technique finds servers or server states
that use little power, and then distributes virtual machines (VMs) based on their power profiles.
To reduce overall energy consumption and maximise overall efficiency, power-aware placement
algorithms install virtual machines (VMs) on servers that are efficient with energy.

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• Thermal-Aware Placement: Algorithms used to manage VM placement take server thermal char-
acteristics into consideration and strive to distribute the heat produced by VMs evenly across the
data centre. Improving cooling efficiency and reducing energy consumption related to cooling
infrastructure may be achieved by thermal-aware deployment. To do this, we disperse the virtual
computers in a way that keeps certain regions from getting too hot. Among the many factors con-
sidered by these algorithms when deciding where to put things is the server’s temperature, as well
as its cooling capacity and thermal constraints.
• Using predictive models, certain advanced virtual machine placement tactics may foresee re-
source needs and workload patterns. Dynamic placement with predictive models is one solution
in this category. By looking at historical data and taking things like time of day, seasonality, and
workload patterns into account, these models are able to predict future resource needs. Optimising
energy efficiency and tool utilisation is possible through proactive allocation of virtual machines
(VMs) and modification of resource provisioning made possible by dynamic placement algo-
rithms that use predictive models.

Last but not least, green cloud computing’s virtual machine deployment strategies might significantly
help with energy efficiency, resource conservation, and green practice promotion. By using these strate-
gies, cloud service providers may meet their clients’ demands for performance and service while also
reducing their energy use.

5. GREEN CLOUD APPLICATIONS AND CASE STUDIES

5.1 Green Cloud Gaming

The phrase “green cloud gaming” describes the use of eco-friendly methods and tools in the cloud gam-
ing industry. Reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint of gaming services is the main
goal of this industry. By connecting to distant servers, users may stream games through cloud gaming.
This removes the need for high-end gaming gear and minimises the amount of energy used by each user.
Here are some key points to consider and ways to implement eco-friendly practices in cloud gaming:

• Energy-Efficient Data Centres Providers of gaming services in the cloud may focus on operating
data centres with little energy usage. Using energy-efficient technology, optimising cooling sys-
tems, and implementing power management techniques are all part of the plan to reduce energy
use. Data centres may achieve greater overall energy efficiency by implementing state-of-the-art
technologies such server virtualization, consolidation, and energy-efficient components.
• Using Server Technology and Making the Most of Available Resources: Maximising server us-
age is important for cloud gaming to get maximum energy efficiency. Using load balancing and
resource allocation methods, providers can potentially improve the efficiency of server-side game
instance distribution. This ensures that server resources are utilised efficiently and stops them
from being underutilised, which leads to reduced carbon emissions and energy savings.
• Networking that is conscious of power usage: For online multiplayer gaming to be successful, a
solid networking infrastructure is required. Providers can mitigate network bandwidth require-

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ments and energy consumption during data transmission by employing energy-aware networking
techniques like traffic optimisation, data compression, and quality of service (QoS) management.
• Cloud software gaming systems rely on virtual machine (VM) technologies, which are important
to their functioning. One such technology is virtual machine consolidation. Providers can improve
resource utilisation and reduce energy consumption by consolidating several game instances onto
a smaller number of physical servers or virtual machines (VMs). In order to reduce energy waste,
virtual machine (VM) consolidation algorithms constantly track resource utilisation and improve
the distribution of VMs. The usage of renewable energy sources to power data centres can be
prioritised by cloud gaming providers. This allows for the integration of renewable energy. Using
renewable energy credits and investing in renewable energy purchase might significantly lower
cloud gaming services’ carbon impact. Providers may also look at investing in renewable energy
generation on-site or establishing agreements with green energy suppliers.
• User Education and Being Aware of the Product: and Spreading awareness about the energy-sav-
ing advantages of cloud gaming and encouraging energy-conscious conduct can have a positive
impact. In order to help gamers reduce the amount of energy they waste when gaming, gaming
devices and platforms should have energy-efficient settings, automatic shutdowns, and low-power
modes.
• Even if cloud gaming does away with the necessity for top-tier hardware, encouraging the usage
of power-efficient monitors, headphones, and other gaming accessories can contribute to more en-
vironmentally friendly gaming habits. More and more people are turning to cloud gaming as their
preferred method of playing online games. The promotion of energy-efficient gaming consoles,
peripherals, and accessories with built-in energy-saving features can contribute to a decrease in
the amount of energy consumed during video game play.
• Gaming gear must be properly managed over its whole existence if it is to be sustainable. An
integral part of lifecycle management is recycling as well. By promoting the proper disposal and
recycling of old gaming gear, we can help bring down the amount of electronic waste and get
closer to a circular economy.

As a result, cloud gaming providers may help promote sustainability in the gaming business by reduc-
ing their energy consumption, contributing to more environmentally friendly practices, and so on. Green
cloud gaming allows players to enjoy their favourite games without negatively impacting the environment.

5.2 Green Cloud in Industry Verticals (e.g., Healthcare, Finance)

Green cloud computing has the ability to improve energy efficiency and environmental sustainability
across several industrial sectors. Here are a few examples of potential sectors that might benefit from
green cloud:

• The healthcare industry stands to benefit greatly from the digitization of patient data management,
imaging systems, and medical records if green cloud computing materialises. Healthcare organi-
sations may store and retrieve patient records on energy-efficient cloud infrastructure, eliminating
the need for paper records and physical storage. Additionally, telemedicine systems hosted in the
cloud can enable remote consultations, reducing patient travel and the associated energy con-
sumption and carbon emissions.

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• The banking and financial services business is one that may greatly benefit from green cloud
computing’s ability to streamline data centre operations and infrastructure. There is no longer
any need for physical branches or paper transactions thanks to cloud-based financial technology
like smartphone applications and internet banking. Moving financial apps and services to more
energy-efficient cloud platforms can help financial firms save money and lessen their environmen-
tal effect.
• Cloud computing provides the ability to enable smart manufacturing with supply chain optimi-
sation, which might lead to smart manufacturing overall. Cloud analytics and data management
allow firms to track and improve energy use across all industrial processes, leading to less waste
and more efficient use of resources. The use of cloud-based supply chain management solutions
has the ability to maximise inventory management while simultaneously reducing transportation-
related emissions by increasing supply chain visibility, coordination, and collaboration.
• Retail and e-commerce: E-commerce platforms and inventory management systems in the retail
industry might be made more energy efficient with the use of green cloud computing. Online
storefront optimisation, server energy consumption minimization, and demand-based dynamic
scalability are all possible with cloud-hosted retail systems. Furthermore, logistics operations may
be enhanced using cloud-hosted supply chain analytics through the optimisation of delivery routes
and the reduction of carbon emissions in the last mile of delivery.
• The use of cloud computing in the education sector might pave the way for the development of
greener online classrooms. There may be less need for printed textbooks and other educational
resources if cloud-based e-learning systems provide instructors and students with remote access to
these resources. Learning management systems, online collaboration tools, and virtual classrooms
housed in the cloud provide the ability to enhance education delivery while decreasing the energy
normally associated with physical infrastructure.
• Government Agencies and Public Services: By using green cloud computing, government agen-
cies and public services may enhance service delivery and make the most of their resources. Using
digital platforms that provide online government services and citizen service portals hosted in the
cloud can reduce the need for in-person visits and paperwork. In addition, public administration
may be able to save energy and become more sustainable with the use of cloud-based data analyt-
ics for evidence-based policymaking, resource planning, and infrastructure optimisation.

To sum up, these examples show how green cloud computing can be used to many different types
of industries, which in turn helps to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency, and open up
new avenues for sustainable practices. The specifics of implementation and benefits will vary across
industries because every market has its own quirks and needs.

6. GREEN CLOUD SECURITY AND PRIVACY

6.1 Energy-Aware Security Mechanisms for Green Cloud Computing

Green cloud computing prioritises energy-aware security techniques that aim to maintain strong security
while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. The goal of these methods is to set up

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efficient security processes while making the most of the resources that are already accessible. Here are
a few energy-efficient security measures related to green cloud computing:

• Computationally expensive and energy-intensive are two characteristics of traditional encryption

methods. As an alternative to such cumbersome techniques, lightweight cryptography can be used.
Using lightweight cryptographic algorithms designed for low-resource environments allows us to
reduce power consumption without sacrificing security. These techniques keep the necessary level
of security while minimising computational overhead and energy consumption. Cloud computing
relies heavily on virtualization technologies, one of which is virtualization security. Ensuring the
safety of virtual machine (VM) instances while concurrently decreasing the security overhead is
a key goal of energy-aware secure virtualization. Implementing a number of solutions, including
as secure booting, hardware-assisted virtualization, and hypervisor-based security measures, can
optimise resource utilisation and energy efficiency while simultaneously increasing security.
• Users’ permissions to access resources in the cloud are controlled by access control systems. We
are talking about energy-aware access control here. In energy-aware access control, the quantity
of energy utilised is considered while granting access to resources. Optimising energy use while
maintaining security may be achieved by dynamically adjusting access privileges and resource
provisioning according to energy availability and user requirements. Wasteful resource allocation
may be prevented and energy waste can be decreased by utilising this strategy.
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention: Energy-aware intrusion detection and prevention systems
(IDPS) seek out and remove any security threats while cutting down on energy use. Using efficient
algorithms, these systems are able to monitor and analyse system logs and network traffic in real
time. There is a way to reduce energy consumption associated with security monitoring without
sacrificing good threat detection. Reducing the amount of false positives and improving the detec-
tion algorithms can achieve this.
• Minimising Energy Consumption for Security Monitoring: Optimisation of security monitoring
system deployment and maintenance is a important aspect of energy-aware security monitoring.
Included in this is the strategic positioning of surveillance cameras and other security devices.
The objective is to reduce power usage without sacrificing coverage during their installation.
More energy-efficient security monitoring is feasible with the help of technologies like distributed
monitoring and edge computing, which decrease the amount of data processing and transmission
needed.
• Secure Data transfer: To guarantee efficient data transfer, energy-aware secure data transmission
prioritises improving encryption techniques and procedures. It is feasible to decrease the amount
of energy spent during data transmission without compromising security by utilising energy-effi-
cient encryption techniques, reducing encryption overhead, and reducing the number of encryp-
tion operations. To further aid in the energy-efficient transfer of encrypted data, techniques such
as data compression and encryption offloading can be employed.
• Compliance with Green Security Policies: Ensuring that security measures align with the goals of
energy efficiency and sustainability is made possible via the establishment of green security poli-
cies and compliance frameworks. Organisations can institute rules that promote energy-conscious
security practices and support the use of energy-efficient security devices. Security measures in
green cloud computing can be guided by compliance standards. Indicators of energy efficiency,
security measures, and environmental criteria can all be found in these frameworks.

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With security solutions that are cognizant of energy consumption trends, organisations may find a
middle ground between security requirements and energy efficiency in cloud computing environments.
Through these methods, we may achieve robust security, preserve sensitive data, reduce energy usage,
optimise resource utilisation, and promote sustainability all at once.

6.2 Green Cryptography and Privacy Preservation

The main focus of green cryptography and privacy preservation is to apply privacy-enhancing techniques
and cryptographic algorithms in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way (Meghna, Amit
Kumar Tyagi, 2023) (Amit Kumar Tyagi, 2023). While reducing energy use, these solutions are meant to
secure sensitive information and preserve privacy. When it comes to environmentally friendly encryption
and privacy protection, these are some of the most pressing issues and solutions:

• Energy-Starting Cryptographic Methods A key component of “green” encryption is the utilisation

of algorithms that minimise power consumption. While lowering the amount of computational
overhead and energy consumption, these techniques provide stringent security. Using methods
like lightweight cryptography, which were developed for devices with minimal resources, can help
achieve energy economy without compromising data safety.
• Key Administration and Distribution: Reducing energy use and increasing security protection are
two outcomes of effective key management systems. Key distribution approaches that are energy-
aware, such elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) with smaller keys, might potentially decrease the
computational power needed for key production, distribution, and encryption. Further decrease
in energy consumption by key management operations is achieved through the use of energy-
efficient key update and revocation strategies.
• Privacy-Preserving Protocols: Protecting private data while lowering computing and data trans-
port energy requirements are two main objectives of privacy-preserving methods. Various tech-
niques, including secure multiparty computing (SMC), homomorphic encryption, and differential
privacy, allow computations to be executed on encrypted data. The confidentiality of the supplied
information can be ensured using these techniques. Reducing energy consumption without com-
promising user data privacy is possible using privacy-protecting protocols.
• Protocols for energy-efficient secure communication may be developed to improve data trans-
fer while limiting energy consumption. This allows for energy-aware secure communication.
Utilising strategies like energy-aware routing, efficient encryption algorithms, and compressed
encryption methods can help reduce the energy overhead associated with secure communication.
Using strategies like opportunistic encryption and packet bundling, energy efficiency in secure
communication may be optimised even further.
• Technologies that Enhance Privacy: These technologies are designed to minimise data collection
and usage in order to safeguard user privacy. Methods like data minimization, data anonymiza-
tion, and pseudonymization can help reduce the amount of personal information that is collected
and kept. Reduced energy consumption associated with processing and storing massive amounts
of personal data without compromising data confidentiality is possible with the help of privacy-
enhancing technology.
• Control of Access That Considers Energy Consumption In order to determine who has access to
what resources, energy-aware access control systems consider energy use. It is feasible to avoid

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the allocation of unnecessary resources and energy waste by dynamically changing access per-
missions based on energy availability and user requirements. Reduced computational overhead is
another benefit of energy-aware access control when it comes to control checks.
• Data lifetime management: Effective data management throughout all stages of data lifecycles
contributes to privacy protection and energy efficiency. Data retention restrictions, data anony-
mization techniques, and secure data deletion protocols can help reduce the energy waste associ-
ated with storing and processing unnecessary data. An effective data lifecycle management system
facilitates a middle ground between energy efficiency goals and privacy requirements.
• Energy-efficient hardware: To make cryptographic procedures more energy efficient, one may
use low-power processors, cryptographic accelerators, or hardware security modules (HSMs). By
using energy-efficient hardware components, cryptographic calculations may be performed with
little power consumption and strong security.

Implementing green cryptography and privacy preservation solutions allows businesses to strike a
compromise between data security, privacy protection, and energy efficiency. These solutions not only
minimise energy consumption, increase resource utilisation, and promote sustainability, but they also
guarantee excellent cryptographic security and privacy protection.

7. OPEN ISSUES TOWARDS GREEN CLOUD COMPUTING

While green cloud computing has come a long way in promoting sustainability and energy efficiency,
there are still certain issues and concerns that have not been fully overcome. It is necessary to identify
and address these problems and obstacles. Some major questions in the realm of environmentally friendly
cloud computing remain unanswered, and they are as follows:

• Common practices and evaluation criteria: Environmental impact assessment methods, sustain-
ability standards, and energy efficiency metrics are all now in the works of becoming standardised.
There aren’t any universally accepted metrics for comparing and assessing the environmental
performance of different cloud service providers. To ensure accurate reporting, comparison, and
assessment of ecologically responsible cloud computing activities, it is important to establish
commonly accepted standards and metrics.
• Still, efficient energy management in dynamic cloud environments is challenging. It is necessary
to resolve the challenge of dynamic energy optimisation. A topic that is now receiving a lot of at-
tention from researchers is how to dynamically optimise power management, job scheduling, and
resource allocation without sacrificing performance or user experience. We must prioritise the
development of smart energy optimisation algorithms and frameworks that can adjust to evolving
workload patterns and resource needs.
• Where to Find Data Centres and Power Plants: To what extent cloud computing contributes to en-
vironmental degradation may depend importantly on the location and energy consumption of data
centres. Data centres must be situated in areas with access to renewable energy sources and their
energy mix must be considered if true sustainability is to be achieved. Reducing reliance on fossil
fuels while increasing usage of renewable energy sources is a continuing problem.

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• Methods and Tools for Building Green Data Centres: Data centre design, cooling technologies,
server architecture, and energy-efficient technology must undergo continuous innovation. Research
is ongoing in several areas, including the improvement of server utilisation and performance, the
creation of more energy-efficient cooling systems, and the examination of new technologies like
liquid cooling. New eco-friendly data centre technologies are expected to be a major factor in
significantly reducing the energy consumption of cloud computing infrastructure.
• Difficulties with Personal Data Protection and Online Security: The preservation of user confiden-
tiality and safety in environmentally conscious cloud computing environments remains a major
concern. Finding a happy medium between energy-saving procedures and regulations pertaining
to data privacy and security could be challenging. Encryption techniques that are efficient, require
little CPU overhead, and provide robust security, as well as protocols for the secure transport of
data, remain a focus of ongoing attention.
• The education of users and the adoption process are ongoing challenges; one of them is getting
individuals and businesses to embrace cloud computing in an eco-conscious way. The benefits of
energy efficiency and sustainability, along with the part that users may play in reducing their envi-
ronmental effect, must be educated to users. Green alternatives, user-friendly tools and interfaces
to enable green choices, and behavioural changes are areas that require further attention.
• Cloud computing infrastructure and devices generate a great deal of electronic trash, or e-waste,
which has not yet been adequately addressed in terms of lifecycle management. Reusing, recy-
cling, and properly disposing of hardware components is important for reducing the environ-
mental impact of cloud computing. The promotion of proper disposal and recycling practices,
the creation of long-term strategies for handling electronic waste, and the ideas behind circular
economies are all ongoing challenges.

Because of this, industrial players, academic institutions, governments, and consumers all need to
collaborate to find answers to these unanswered questions. For green cloud computing to successfully
promote the adoption of energy- and environmentally-efficient practices, it needs constant research, new
ideas, information sharing, and policymaking.

8. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND EMERGING TRENDS

TOWARDS GREEN CLOUD COMPUTING

8.1 Green Cloud Computing Research Roadmap for Future Research

Research roadmaps provide an overview of the main areas of focus and objectives that academics and
industry practitioners should think about to advance green cloud computing. An approach to clean cloud
computing based on proposed research is as follows:

• The energy-efficient resource management effort aims to optimise energy consumption, ensure
performance, and satisfy users through the development of advanced solutions for resource man-
agement. Allocating workloads dynamically, intelligently placing virtual machines, and using
energy-aware scheduling algorithms that account for workload specifics, energy profiles, and per-
formance requirements are all part of this.

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• Research state-of-the-art data centre designs and cooling technologies that lessen energy con-
sumption and improve energy efficiency; this will help create green data centres. This encom-
passes the study of thermal management strategies, heat reuse, novel cooling systems, and liquid
cooling. Our objective is to maximise data centre cooling efficiency while minimising the use of
traditional cooling technologies wherever feasible.
• Researchers should look at ways to integrate renewable energy sources into cloud computing in-
frastructures so that they can be used effectively. Research on new possibilities for the production
and storage of renewable energy inside data centres, as well as methods for optimally matching
energy use with the availability of renewable energy, should be undertaken.
• Network equipment, switches, routers, and communication protocols are all part of the network
infrastructure that the Green Network Infrastructure programme aims to address with an emphasis
on energy efficiency. It is important to look at ways to improve network speed, reduce latency, and
optimise energy use without compromising network security or reliability.
• Investigate ways to handle, store, and retrieve data in cloud systems that are more energy efficient;
this is part of the green data management and storage initiative. Studying techniques for data com-
pression, intelligent data placement, effective data retrieval, and data deduplication is important
for reducing energy usage and optimising storage utilisation.
• The primary measure to guarantee the security and confidentiality of green cloud computing so-
lutions is to establish robust privacy and security protocols tailored to green cloud computing.
Research on protocols that protect users’ privacy, energy-efficient encryption techniques, and se-
cure data transfer technologies that minimise energy use without sacrificing security or privacy
should be considered.
• E-Waste Reduction and Lifespan Management: Provide long-term solutions to the problems as-
sociated with managing electronic waste in cloud computing through the development of environ-
mentally friendly practices for component recycling, responsible disposal, and hardware lifespan
management. As a result, this will contribute to the resolution of issues caused by cloud comput-
ing. Examining the ideas of circular economies, refurbishing techniques, and environmentally
friendly manufacturing practices can help reduce the negative impacts of cloud computing infra-
structure on the environment.
• User awareness and Adoption: Look at several options for increasing user awareness and getting
others to adopt green cloud computing practices. In order to persuade businesses and individu-
als to embrace green and energy-efficient cloud computing practices, studies on user education,
behavioural change, and persuasive tactics are important.
• Metrics and Standardisation: Contribute to the development of defined measures, frameworks,
and processes for assessing and contrasting cloud computing systems’ energy efficiency and envi-
ronmental effect. There are a number of potential avenues for harmonising green computing stan-
dards and laws across nations, which could facilitate standardisation of practise and benchmarking.
• Frameworks for the economy and businesses: The cost-effectiveness of energy-efficient approach-
es, the impact on business operations, and the potential income models are only a few of the
economic and financial ramifications of green cloud computing that should be investigated. To
encourage the usage of green cloud computing, research on the function of market mechanisms,
subsidies, and incentives is important.

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This study’s results provide a comprehensive review of the key areas for future research that could
lead to innovations in green cloud computing. To address these research challenges and promote the
implementation of sustainable and energy-efficient practices, collaboration among academics, industry
practitioners, legislators, and end-users is important.

8.2 Emerging Technologies and Innovations Towards Green Cloud Computing

Innovations in green cloud computing are being propelled by new technology, which opens the door to
more sustainable and energy-efficient activities. The following are some of the most important innova-
tions and technologies that have helped make cloud computing greener:

• Machine learning and artificial intelligence: Cloud computing is utilising ML and AI techniques
to enhance resource allocation and energy usage. In order to achieve higher energy efficiency and
reduce operational costs, intelligent algorithms can dynamically modify resource utilisation, job
scheduling, and cooling systems. Optimising energy usage is another potential outcome of AI-
powered predictive analytics that include both historical trends and current data.
• The phrase “edge computing” describes the trend towards locating data processing and storage
facilities closer to the point of generation. This gets rid of the requirement to send data to the
cloud several times. It is possible to lessen the amount of energy required for data transmission.
Data processing at the edge of the network makes this possible. In addition to reducing reliance on
resource-intensive cloud infrastructure, edge computing enables real-time analytics and reactions.
• Data Centres with a Green Profile: Data centres with a green profile employ innovative design
and technologies to reduce their energy consumption and environmental effect. Modular data
centres, liquid cooling, better power management, and renewable energy source integration are
all examples of techniques that fall under this category. The main objectives of environmentally
friendly data centres are to optimise energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and make the
most of available resources by making full use of them.
• Energy-efficient hardware: New central processing units, memory modules, and storage devices
have all helped make cloud computing more power efficient. Central processing units (CPUs) with
low power consumption, energy-efficient memory technologies (like non-volatile memory), and
solid-state drives (SSDs) use less power than traditional hardware components. Utilising dedi-
cated hardware accelerators can improve some computer tasks in terms of performance per watt.
Intel® Graphics Processing Units and Field Programmable Gate Arrays are two examples of ac-
celerators in this category.
• The ability to centrally manage and allocate network resources is a key feature of software-defined
networking (SDN), which allows for efficient optimisation and allocation of network capacity
(Meghna, Amit Kumar Tyagi, 2023) (Mishra S., Tyagi A.K., 2022) (T. T. George and A. K. Tyagi,
2022) (Rekha G., Tyagi A.K., Anuradha N, 2020). By using SDN-based solutions, network to-
pologies may be changed dynamically to reduce energy consumption and boost overall network
efficiency. Cloud computing uses software-defined networking (SDN) to optimise traffic manage-
ment and network routing, which in turn reduces communication energy consumption.
• A greener energy production strategy is to integrate renewable power sources like solar and wind
into cloud computing infrastructures. This will help reduce the impact on the environment. Cloud
service companies are acquiring renewable energy through PPAs, which stand for power purchase

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agreements. Renewable energy generation is another area where these suppliers are increasing
their investments. One way to lessen the impact on the environment caused by cloud computing is
to use renewable energy sources. This will help cut down on our reliance on fossil fuels.
• More energy efficiency and storage optimisation in cloud systems are two outcomes of recent
developments in environmentally friendly storage technologies. Data deduplication, compression,
and tiered storage systems are beneficial approaches for lowering the energy footprint of storage
operations. New storage technologies, such as solid-state drives (SSDs), allow for more stor-
age density with less power usage. Technology such as shingled magnetic recording (SMR) and
helium-filled drives are instances of this kind.
• Effective management of workloads and resources in cloud environments is now feasible thanks to
technologies like virtualization and containerisation. Containerisation technologies provide light-
weight and isolated application environments; two examples are Docker and Kubernetes. Better
allocation of resources and less need for unnecessary hardware provisioning are both made pos-
sible in these settings. Virtualization technology allows for optimised server usage, which brings
about consolidation and energy savings.
• Integration of the Internet of Things (IoT): By combining cloud computing with IoT devices and
sensors, energy usage may be better monitored, managed, and optimised in many different con-
texts (Sheth, H.S.K., Tyagi, A.K., 2022). (Nair M.M., Kumari S., Tyagi A.K. 2021). By providing
real-time data for optimisation and decision-making that saves energy, smart grids, IoT-enabled
intelligent building management systems, and energy monitoring solutions contribute to energy
efficiency and sustainability.
• Models of Service Utilising Green Clouds: Some of the green cloud service models that provid-
ers are provideing include software as a service (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), and
platform as a service (PaaS) solutions that are more energy efficient. These models incorporate
strategies to better use resources, reduce energy consumption, and ensure long-term viability, all
with the goal of provideing greener cloud computing solutions to customers.

These emerging technologies and innovations show the current endeavours to make cloud computing
greener, more efficient, and less harmful to the environment. Utilising these enhancements, companies
can reduce their carbon footprint, increase resource utilisation, and save money—all while taking ad-
vantage of the scalability and adaptability that cloud computing services provide—and so reduce their
environmental impact.

8.3 Green Cloud Computing in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Environmentally friendly cloud computing aligns with many United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). The following is a rundown of the SDGs and how they relate to green cloud computing:

• Green cloud computing promotes energy efficiency and the utilisation of renewable energy sourc-
es, which contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordability and Clean Energy. Using
cloud computing makes it easier to switch to cheaper and greener energy sources, which in turn
reduces the carbon impact. This is achieved by implementing energy-efficient equipment, making
use of renewable energy sources, and optimising energy consumption.

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• Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Agenda: Industry, Innovation, and InfrastructureCloud

computing that is “green” promotes the development of eco-friendly hardware and software. It
promotes the development and use of data centres with improved energy efficiency, cutting-edge
cooling technologies, and eco-friendly hardware. Green cloud computing promotes technological
advancements that help build resilient and long-lasting infrastructure.
• By encouraging resource optimisation and smart data management, green cloud computing helps
to reduce electronic waste, which contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible
Consumption and Production. Reduced energy consumption and physical infrastructure require-
ments go hand in hand with its promotion of frugal use of computer resources. Responsible con-
sumption and production may be fostered through the use of environmentally friendly cloud com-
puting, which maximises resource utilisation and supports sustainable habits.
• One way to lessen the impact of climate change is through green cloud computing, which ties into
Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. Cloud computing helps achieve climate action
goals by, among other things, optimising energy consumption, using renewable energy sources,
and reducing carbon emissions normally linked with computing. With this software’s help, busi-
nesses may transition to low-carbon operations and reduce their carbon footprint.
• Partnerships for the Goals, which is Sustainable Development Goal 17: Many different groups and
individuals, including governments, businesses, and cloud service providers, must work together
to ensure that cloud computing is conducted in an environmentally friendly manner. Collaboration
is important for generating innovation, creating industry standards, and encouraging the adoption
of energy-efficient practices. Collaborative efforts are important for achieving the environmental
conservation and sustainable development-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Consequently, businesses may help achieve several SDGs by employing eco-friendly cloud computing
practices. The larger aims of sustainable development align with the associated principles of respon-
sible resource utilisation, efficient energy utilisation, and reduced carbon emissions associated with
cloud computing (Tyagi, A.K., Sreenath, N., 2023) (Tyagi, Amit Kumar, 2019) (Reddy K.S., Agarwal
K., Tyagi A.K., 2021) (Li, J., & Li, B. 2012) (Ren, S., & Tan, Z. (2016). In addition to contributing to
the worldwide objective of a more sustainable future, environmentally friendly cloud computing has
operational and economic advantages.

9. CONCLUSION

As this chapter has shown, green cloud computing is not without its share of advantages and disadvan-
tages. Concerning sustainability, energy efficiency, and ecological responsibility, these are the possibili-
ties and threats. Bear in mind that there may be many benefits for businesses and the environment by
using energy-efficient practices, integrating renewable energy sources, and optimising resources within
cloud computing infrastructure. Nevertheless, this chapter has highlighted some challenges that must
be conquered before the potential of green cloud computing can be completely realised. Some of the
advantages of green cloud computing have already been mentioned. Possible benefits include reduced
energy use, better use of resources, cheaper costs, and alignment with sustainable development goals.
Businesses can lessen their impact on the environment and help shape a greener future by installing
energy-efficient hardware, making smarter use of their resources, switching to renewable energy, and

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encouraging responsible consumption. Cloud computing that is less harmful to the environment is,
therefore, both a technical challenge and a shared responsibility for a better, more sustainable future.

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