Category: Technology / Software
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Cloud computing companies ranked by their use of renewable energy
Cloud computing is booming. Cloud providers are investing billions in infrastructure to build out their data centers, but just how clean is cloud? Given that this is the week that the IPCC’s 5th assessment report was released, I decided to do some research of my own into cloud providers. The table above is a list…
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SAP to power its cloud computing infrastructure from 100% renewable energy
Cloud computing is often incorrectly touted as being a green, more environmentally-friendly, computing option. This confusion occurs because people forget that while cloud computing may be more energy efficient (may be), the environmental friendliness is determined by how much carbon is produced in the generation of that energy. If a data centre is primarily powered…
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Here comes the sun… IBM and solar forecasting
For decades now electricity grids have been architected in the same way with large centralised generation facilities pumping out electricity to large numbers of distributed consumers. Generation has been controlled, and predictable. This model is breaking down fast. In the last decade we have seen a massive upsurge in the amount of renewable generation making…
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Lifx’s Internet of Things connected bulb, the good and the not-so good
Back in September 2012 I saw a Kickstarter campaign entitled LIFX: The Light Bulb Reinvented. The campaign promised to deliver a WiFi enabled, multi-color, energy efficient LED light bulb that you control with your iPhone or Android This sounded great. Energy efficient, LED bulbs which could change colour to match/create moods, and which you could…
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Utilities should open up API’s to their smart meter data
The world of utilities is changing with the roll out of smart meters. One of the biggest changes will be the wealth of data that utility companies will suddenly be flooded with. As we noted in a previous post on GreenMonk, Centrica has: 18 million residential accounts and one million business accounts. Right now they…
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How SAP achieved LEED Platinum certification for their headquarters in Pennsylvania
As I was in Pennsylvania to attend SAP’s Analyst’s Base Camp event earlier this year, I took the opportunity to get a tour of the new LEED Platinum certified Headquarters building. I was shown around the building by the facilities manager, Jim Dodd, who informed me of the different steps taken to enable the structure…
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IBM tackling water issues globally
Water, water everywhere… Water is becoming scarce resource globally – even more-so in rapidly growing urban environments.In fact, according to the UN, water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population growth in the last century. – See more at: http://www.unwater.org/statistics_use.html#sthash.SVRxbpoE.dpuf Also, increased droughts, and flash floods are not helping matters.…
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Ariba’s AribaLive conference reviewed
I attended the AribaLive event in Berlin last week – this is the European conference for Ariba customers and partners to share stories, network and learn from one another. Ariba is a company which provides electronic sales and procurement solutions for companies. There are over 1 million companies in 190 countries using Ariba. Customer companies…