Welcome to the tenth edition of the Jisc Digital Sustainability Newsletter. Each month, we explore the latest news, trends, articles, and insights at the intersection of technology and environmental sustainability.
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News
There’s been so much happening this month across the world in terms of digital sustainability news and developments. Here are the top news stories. Click on the headline to learn more:
Europe’s Largest Data Centre Approved for Hertfordshire
The UK has given the green light to DC01 UK, a £3.75 billion data centre project in Hertfordshire, set to be the largest in Europe. While the project will support the UK’s AI and cloud ambitions, questions remain about its environmental impact. Built on Green Belt land, the centre will retain 54% of the site as open space and invest in public transport upgrades, but limited information has been disclosed about energy efficiency or renewable power sources. With data centres consuming increasing amounts of energy and water, sustainability measures must be a key priority if the UK is to balance digital growth with climate commitments.
New Tool Rates AI Models Based on Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact
Salesforce has launched AI Energy Score, a first-of-its-kind tool that rates AI models based on their energy efficiency and environmental impact, helping businesses make more sustainable choices. Developed with Cohere, Carnegie Mellon University, and Hugging Face, the tool aims to increase transparency in AI energy use as concerns grow over its soaring electricity demands by introducing standardised energy ratings, a public efficiency leaderboard, and a recognisable energy use label for AI developers.
New Report Confirms Digital Exams Cut Carbon Emissions and Reduce Waste
As Featured in FE News, a new report from Eintech highlights the sustainability benefits of digital exams, revealing that digital alternatives can cut emissions by up to 51%, reduce travel-related carbon footprints, and make exams more accessible through assistive technologies.
Microsoft Releases AI-Powered Sustainability Roadmap for a Net-Zero Future
A new Microsoft report, “Accelerating Sustainability with AI”, outlines how AI is transforming climate action, energy efficiency, and environmental protection. The report highlights AI’s potential to accelerate net zero targets, through its implementation in renewable energy projects, biodiversity monitoring, smart data centres, battery efficiency and global climate risk assessment.
Trump Administration Removes Climate Data from U.S. Government Websites
The Trump administration has begun removing climate and environmental data from federal agency websites, raising concerns over transparency. The Council on Environmental Quality and key climate justice tools have been taken offline, while the Environmental Protection Agency has removed references to climate change from its homepage. Over 2,000 datasets have disappeared from Data.gov, prompting archivists and environmental groups to preserve deleted records. Experts warn that limiting public access to climate data could impact environmental policy and research.
UK Government Urged to Prioritise Sustainable AI
A new report from the Royal Academy of Engineering warns that AI data centres must reduce energy and water use to prevent environmental harm. Chaired by Professor Tom Rodden from University of Nottingham, the study calls for mandatory reporting and stricter sustainability requirements to ensure AI growth aligns with the UK’s climate goals.
O2’s 3G Shutdown Set to Create £13M in E-Waste
O2 plans to switch off its 3G network in April 2025, meaning over 4.3 million Britons could be left with obsolete phones. A report from Business Waste warns this could add to the UK’s growing e-waste crisis, as millions of old devices end up in landfill.
Google Triples AI Chip Efficiency with New Carbon Metric
Google has announced a threefold improvement in the carbon efficiency of its AI hardware with its latest ‘Trillium TPUs’, as revealed in a first-of-its-kind lifecycle emissions study. The company also introduced Compute Carbon Intensity – or CCI – a new metric to track AI chip emissions, highlighting energy efficiency and supply chain decarbonisation as key areas for reducing AI’s environmental footprint.
New Report shows Data Centre Energy in the US has More than Doubled since 2018
A study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reveals that data centre electricity use has more than doubled since 2018, driven by AI workloads and growing infrastructure demands. Projections show it could reach up to 12% of total U.S. electricity consumption by 2028, raising concerns over sustainability and energy efficiency.
Linux Kernel Update Could Cut Data Centre Energy Use by 30%
A groundbreaking Linux kernel modification, developed by researchers at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, has the potential to reduce data centre energy consumption by up to 30%. With data centres accounting for 5% of the world’s daily energy use, this improvement could lead to substantial global energy savings.
New AI Energy Guide Helps Developers Measure and Cut Power Consumption
NREL and Intel have released “A Beginner’s Guide to Power and Energy Measurement and Estimation” to help AI developers measure and reduce energy consumption. With U.S. data centres already using 4.4% of the nation’s electricity – a figure expected to triple by 2028 – the guide provides tools to improve efficiency and transparency.
Global E-Waste to Reach 82 Billion Kilograms by 2030, UN Report Warns
A UN Global E-Waste Monitor report predicts that e-waste will reach 82 billion kilograms by 2030, increasing by 2.6 million tonnes annually. In 2022, only 22.3% of discarded electronics were properly recycled, leaving $62 billion worth of valuable materials unaccounted for. The Circular Electronics Day initiative is urging businesses to repair, reuse, and buy remanufactured IT equipment to combat the growing waste crisis.
Concerns Raised Over AI Growth Zone’s Water Use in South-East England
The government’s plan to establish an AI growth zone in Culham, Oxfordshire, has prompted concerns about its impact on local water supplies. The site is seven miles from a proposed reservoir designed to address water shortages in the south-east, one of England’s most water-stressed regions. Experts have warned that increasing AI infrastructure could add further strain on resources, though the government has pledged £104bn for water infrastructure improvements and is exploring alternative cooling methods to mitigate the impact.
U.S. Emissions Barely Declined in 2024 as Energy Demand Surged
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell by just 0.2% in 2024, despite a record year for solar and wind energy production, according to new research by the Rhodium Group. The slowdown was driven by a 3% rise in electricity demand, as extreme summer heat led to increased air conditioning use, and energy-intensive data centres expanded. Transportation emissions also rose by 0.8%, with higher road traffic and air travel, even as EV sales reached 20% of new vehicles. Natural gas remains the dominant power source, supplying 43% of U.S. electricity, despite a 12% decline in coal generation.
Xbox Expands Repair Options and Energy-Saving Features to Cut Waste
Xbox is making sustainability strides with expanded repairability options, allowing players to fix consoles via authorised repair shops or purchase replacement parts directly from the Microsoft Store and iFixit. In addition, Xbox has eliminated single-use plastics from its packaging and introduced software updates that cut power consumption on the Xbox Series S by 10% across media apps, contributing to a 1.2 million metric ton CO2e reduction.
Digital Sustainability at Jisc:
Now for a quick roundup of digital sustainability initiatives we’re working on to support members across tertiary education.
New ‘Introduction to Digital Sustainability’ E-learning Module Launched
We’re excited to launch An Introduction to Digital Sustainability, a free e-learning module for Jisc members. Developed in collaboration with Cal Innes, Scott Hibberson, and Edward Pull, with valuable input from Jisc members, this course explores the environmental impact of digital technologies and AI, alongside best practices for sustainable digital leadership.
📖 Read about the collaborative process of creating this module in this blog.
📥 Request to download the module here.
Driving Digital Sustainability Workshop – Next Session in June
The first Driving Digital Sustainability Workshop is launching on 25th February, with another session available on 4th June 2025 due to high demand.
This interactive 2-hour online workshop is designed to equip participants with practical strategies to reduce environmental impact while optimising costs. The session includes:
✅ Understanding digital sustainability and its institutional impact
✅ Mapping digital footprints and identifying sustainability opportunities
✅ Practical strategies for sustainable digital change
📩 Book now to secure your place!
Jisc at EUNIS AI4ALL Workshop
Jisc took part in an open discussion as part of the first EUNIS AI4ALL online workshop on Inclusion & Sustainability for AI on 19 February. We were joined by speakers from across Europe to explore how AI can support inclusion while minimising environmental impact.
We’re proud to contribute to this special interest group that fosters discussions on AI’s role in education and research. Check out the AI4ALL SIG here.
Help Shape the Future of Digital Sustainability in Education
Following the success of our Introduction to Digital Sustainability e-learning module, we’re launching an exciting new project to embed digital sustainability into Teaching, Learning, and Assessment – and we want your input!
If you work in FE, HE, or Skills, this is your chance to share your experiences, insights, and ideas to help shape sustainable practices in education. Get involved by joining our member interviews – email Scott Hibberson at scott.hibberson@jisc.ac.uk to take part!
FE & Skills Digital Sustainability Community – Now 215+ Members!
Our FE & Skills Digital Sustainability Community continues to grow, now with over 215 members! This open network connects FE and Skills staff, ICT professionals, and sustainability advocates to share best practices, insights, and resources.
📩 Interested? Sign up here to join the community!
Resource Corner :
Each month, we share a few digital sustainability reports, tools, and resources that we hope you might find useful.
Methodology Paper on the Environmental Footprint of Digital Services
This eco:digit paper by Jens Gröger, Felix Behrens, Ran Liu, and Dirk Bunke presents a comprehensive methodology for conducting Life Cycle Assessments of digital services, with a focus on software, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure. It adapts traditional LCA techniques, typically used for physical products, to the distributed and multi-layered nature of digital services. The study provides valuable insights into quantifying environmental impacts, helping organisations better understand the carbon footprint of IT operations and optimise for sustainability. A must-read for those exploring the environmental impact of digital transformation and seeking data-driven strategies for IT infrastructure.
This report by Kyle Baranko, Duncan Campbell, Zeke Hausfather, James McWalter, and Nan Ransohoff explores the feasibility of off-grid solar microgrids as a solution to power the growing AI data centre boom, analysing their cost, scalability, speed, and climate impact. Given the increasing electricity demand from AI, the study investigates whether solar microgrids could be a viable alternative to grid expansion and natural gas power plants.
Interactive Digital Tool: Electricity Maps
Electricity Maps is a platform that provides real-time and historical electricity grid data, including carbon intensity and energy mix insights for over 200 countries and territories. Using machine learning and flow-tracing models, it estimates hourly electricity production and consumption, helping businesses, policymakers, and individuals track emissions and make informed decisions to support global decarbonization efforts.
Member Highlights:
In our monthly member highlights, we turn the green spotlight onto one of Jisc’s members in FE and HE who are implementing noteworthy digital sustainability initiatives.
In this edition of our Member Highlights, we’re excited to feature the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group for their commitment to embedding sustainable digital practices into computing education. Through their progressive curriculum, they equip students with the skills to design and implement efficient, secure, and responsible digital systems.
From T Levels in Digital Production and Support Services to degree-level computing courses, students gain hands-on experience in areas such as cloud computing, data optimisation, and cybersecurity, all of which are crucial in minimising digital waste and improving energy efficiency.
The curriculum also places a strong focus on secure software development, ensuring that future professionals are prepared to build resilient and long-lasting digital solutions that minimise resource consumption while maintaining performance.
By engaging directly with industry partners, the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group ensures that its students are not only technically proficient but also ready to tackle real-world sustainability challenges in the digital space.
Rob Charlish, Head of Computing and Digital Industries at Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, notes:
“Our commitment to digital sustainability in the Computing and Digital Industries curriculum has grown significantly. We now challenge students with real-world applications, from calculating the college’s daily carbon footprint to creating sustainable games in our Game Jam, fostering a deeper understanding of this critical issue.”
You can learn more about their innovative approach to computing education and digital sustainability on the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group’s website.
Digital Sustainability Articles:
Here is a selection of our favourite articles on digital sustainability from the last month. Click on the title link to be redirected to the full article:
How DeepSeek’s Efficient AI Could Stall the Nuclear Renaissance
In TechCrunch, senior climate reporter Tim De Chant examines how DeepSeek’s latest AI model has sparked debate over the future of AI energy consumption. DeepSeek’s R1 model achieves high performance with significantly lower GPU usage, raising questions about the necessity of large-scale energy expansions for AI data centres.
GOV.UK One Login: Advancing Digital Sustainability in Government
Jennifer Marks, Head of Digital Sustainability at GDS, outlines efforts to make GOV.UK One Login a leading sustainable digital service. Marks emphasises that sustainability efforts not only cut emissions but also reduce costs, making a strong case for scaling digital sustainability across government. Training programmes, cross-department collaborations, and technological improvements are key steps in the government’s long-term sustainability strategy.
Building Sustainability Into Your Cloud Architecture
Cloud architect and technology blogger Arin Roy explores the role of sustainability in cloud architecture, emphasising the need for energy-efficient software. The article outlines key green software principles, including serverless computing, optimised storage, and efficient networking, to reduce carbon footprints in cloud environments.
Damage Control: How Repairability Could Help Address the E-Waste Crisis
Jon Excell, writing for The Engineer, delves into the critical need for greater repairability in consumer electronics to combat the ever-growing e-waste crisis. Excell discusses how the e-waste problem continues to worsen despite efforts to recycle, with much of the waste being improperly handled. The article also highlights the legislative changes, such as the EU’s Right to Repair directive, that could drive manufacturers to build products designed for easier repair.
Overcoming the Challenges of Cloud Environmental Impact Measurement
Writing for Build, Elise Auvray explores efforts to improve cloud environmental impact measurement. Auvray highlights the complexity of measuring Scope 3 emissions due to inconsistent supplier data and ageing hardware. The article also examines the challenges of estimating data centre construction emissions and tracking non-IT-related environmental impacts.
The Hidden Environmental Cost of Your Devices – And How to Reduce It
Writing for Earth.Org, Rose Morrison examines the often-overlooked environmental impact of electronic devices, from resource-intensive manufacturing to the growing e-waste crisis. The article highlights how digital activities – such as streaming, cloud storage, and AI use – significantly contribute to carbon emissions. Morrison outlines practical steps for individuals to minimise their digital footprint, including buying refurbished electronics, reducing phantom energy waste, and responsibly recycling old devices.
What’s Going On With Nvidia GPUs and PC Gaming Power Consumption?
Ben Abraham, writing for Greening the Games Industry, examines the alarming rise in power consumption of Nvidia’s latest GPUs and its implications for gaming’s energy use. With the RTX 5090 requiring up to 1,000W of system power, the new 5000 series continues a worrying trend of increasing energy demands. The article highlights the need for the gaming industry to rethink its approach to hardware efficiency before regulatory pressures force change.
Leverage Lower Costs and Emissions with Flexible Demand
Julien Lavalley, in FORESIGHT Climate & Energy, explores how flexible electricity consumption can reduce both emissions and costs. As a Product Specialist at Electricity Maps, he highlights how shifting power use to times of high renewable generation can significantly lower carbon footprints, whether for individual users or large-scale data centres.
AI and the Green Data Centre Paradox: Can We Really Power Progress Sustainably?
In Expleo, Stephen Magennis unpacks the tension between AI’s skyrocketing energy demands and its potential to drive sustainability in data centres. Magennis highlights how AI-driven cooling, predictive analytics, and real-time energy optimisation are being deployed to reduce emissions and improve efficiency. He also examines new regulatory pressures, such as the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive, and questions whether AI can truly scale as a sustainability solution fast enough to counteract its own accelerating energy footprint.
Is Nuclear Energy the Answer to AI Data Centres’ Power Consumption?
This research article from Goldman Sachs explores whether nuclear power can help meet the massive energy demand growth expected from AI-driven data centres. While nuclear is the ideal low-carbon, round-the-clock solution, Goldman Sachs analysts estimate that less than 10% of necessary nuclear capacity will be available globally by 2030. As a result, the industry will need a mix of energy sources, including renewables, natural gas, and battery storage, to fill the gap. While solar and wind could theoretically supply up to 80% of data centre energy needs, their intermittent nature requires backup from nuclear or natural gas to ensure 24/7 reliability.
Will Europe Be the First Region to Enact Regulation for Green Software?
Pat Brans, writing for Computer Weekly, examines the growing push for green software regulation, with Europe poised to take the lead. While no government currently regulates software’s environmental impact, initiatives like the European Green Deal, Germany’s Blue Angel certification, and France’s leadership in green IT research suggest Europe could be the first to introduce enforceable standards.
Are IT Workers the Unsung Heroes of Sustainability?
James Darley, writing for Sustainability Magazine, explores the evolving role of IT professionals in corporate sustainability, featuring insights from Nicola Acutt, CSO of NetApp. Acutt argues that for sustainability to become a core principle in IT, organisations must shift from treating it as a compliance issue to embedding it into business strategy. IT teams—historically seen as back-office support functions—are now at the forefront of sustainability innovation, shaping a future where technology and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
Data Centres Need to Look Beyond Green Energy, Siemens Executive Says
Nina Kienle, writing for The Wall Street Journal, reports on Siemens Smart Infrastructure CEO Matthias Rebellius’s warning that green energy alone won’t be enough to meet AI-driven data centre demand. As operators struggle to secure reliable power, alternative solutions like nuclear energy and hydrogen are being considered. Rebellius highlights that while AI’s rapid growth has fuelled an infrastructure boom, the sector will likely normalize in the coming years. However, data centres must act now to address their long-term sustainability and energy sourcing challenges.
Podcast Pick:
Environment Variables – Deep Green Technologies
This month’s podcast recommendation is an episode of Environment Variables in which host Chris Adams speaks with Mark Bjornsgaard of Deep Green about how rethinking data centre design can turn waste heat into a valuable resource for communities. They discuss heat reuse for swimming pools, district heating, and industrial processes, along with the challenges of planning, policy, and the impact of AI-driven high-density computing on sustainability.
Get Involved:
We want to hear from you! Share your comments, suggestions, and digital sustainability highlights. Contact our Subject Specialist for Sustainability, Cal Innes, at cal.innes@jisc.ac.uk.
And don’t forget to subscribe to our DIGITAL-SUSTAINABILITY JiscMail mailing list for future editions of the Digital Sustainability Newsletter.
