OVHcloud now offers its IaaS customers a carbon calculator that allows them to generate monthly reports on their cloud-related carbon emissions.
With more than 20 years of innovation in the development of a sustainable cloud, thanks in particular to the use of its large-scale liquid cooling technology, OVHcloud has become a benchmark in the industry in terms of good practices. Offering customers a better understanding of the carbon footprint of their cloud infrastructure aims to not only provide greater transparency, but also encourage more responsible practices in the sector.
The creation of the carbon calculator is the result of an exhaustive development process of more than eight months. The methodology used takes into account all factors, such as manufacturing and components at the individual level. Available on demand from the OVHcloud customer area, the tool collects the estimated energy consumption of the servers based on the monitoring of OVHcloud datacenters. It then assigns its carbon emissions equivalent, taking into account cooling and grid systems, as well as transportation, manufacturing, end-of-life and waste management, to provide a complete picture of the real carbon footprint.
Location is a key parameter of the carbon calculator, meaning reporting results depend on the local energy mix. Thus, a server located in a country with a low carbon footprint energy source will generate a lower estimate than this same server hosted in a country with a less favorable combination. At the end of the year, market-based information will complement these reports, highlighting the group’s commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of the energy mix.
The OVHcloud carbon calculator software was developed in collaboration with Sopra Steria, while the methodology was audited by IJO, an independent consultancy specialized in responsible digitalization.
«As one of the leading technology players in Europe, we are aware that we have to play a key role in developing a more sustainable digital environment for our employees, customers, suppliers and partners. That is why we are delighted to have contributed to the creation of the OVHcloud carbon calculator, which allows companies to evaluate the environmental impact of their cloud activities and take all necessary measures to reduce their environmental footprint,” says Fabienne MATHEY- GIRBIG Executive Director Corporate Responsibility & Sustainable Development at Sopra Steria.
In line with its firm commitment to sustainability
OVHcloud has long been developing a vertically integrated industrial model, building and owning the majority of its data centers. Thanks to its own innovation, and taking advantage of two facilities located in Croix (France) and Beauharnois (Canada) to produce its own servers, the company has total control over the value chain. This unique approach ensures that in a ten-hour period at full load an OVHcloud server only needs a glass of water to cool, while many servers on the market require seven times as much. Innovation has also allowed OVHcloud to achieve an average global PUE of 1.28, below the industry average of 1.55. [1]according to 2022 estimates.
These water and energy efficiency ratings are among the best in the industry and pave the way for future certifications, while the newly launched carbon calculator clearly demonstrates OVHcloud’s commitment to a sustainable cloud.
«With sustainability ingrained in our DNA, we constantly challenge ourselves to improve the carbon footprint of all our operations. We are more aware than ever of the importance for our customers of being able to understand and calculate their carbon footprint as accurately as possible. Therefore, we are very happy to be able to offer them a simple and accessible solution with just one click,” says Michel Paulin, CEO of OVHcloud.
Ultimately, the OVHcloud carbon calculator provides customers with transparent and comprehensive information on scopes 1, 2, 3 of their carbon footprint, from manufacturing to infrastructure operation. The group is currently the only cloud services provider that offers a life cycle analysis, covering both the components and the carbon footprint associated with the consumption of cloud services.
Availability
The OVHcloud carbon calculator is free and now available worldwide [2] for all your customers of the Bare Metal product line, directly from the OVHcloud customer area and also via an API. Hosted Private Cloud customers will also benefit from the carbon calculator in the coming weeks.
