Cloud Computing - Carbon Disclosure Project

For More Information Contact:
Jan Rasmussen for AT&T Jo Philpotts for CDP
Office: 816-512-2238 Mobile: +44 (0)7775-895-680
Mobile: 913-449-8153 Email: jo.philpotts@cdproject.net
E-mail: jan.rasmussen@fleishman.com
Elinor Newman-Beckett for Verdantix
Office: +44 (0)2033-716-792
E-mail: enewman-beckett@verdantix.com
NEW STUDY: CLOUD COMPUTING CAN DRAMATICALLY REDUCE ENERGY COSTS
AND CARBON EMISSIONS
Cloud computing can help companies realize $12.3 billion in energy savings and 85.7 million
metric tons of CO2 savings annually by 2020
DALLAS AND LONDON, July 20, 2011 – By 2020, large 1 U.S. companies that use cloud
computing can achieve annual energy savings of $12.3 billion and annual carbon reductions
equivalent to 200 million barrels of oil – enough to power 5.7 million cars for one year. 2
This is according to a new study by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), “Cloud Computing:
The IT Solution for the 21 st Century,” conducted by independent analyst research firm
Verdantix and sponsored by AT&T.
According to the study, companies plan to accelerate their adoption of cloud computing
from 10 percent to 69 percent of their information technology spend by 2020.
The report finds that a company that adopts cloud computing 3 can reduce its energy
consumption, lower its carbon emissions and decrease its capital expenditure on IT
resources while improving operational efficiency.
Stuart Neumann, Senior Manager at Verdantix, commented: “The study also analyzed the
business impacts of transferring an essential business application—human resources— to
the cloud and shows such an investment could give a payback in under one year.”
In addition to a predicted aggregate, annual carbon reduction of 85.7 million metric tons by
large U.S. companies, cloud computing can:
Help users avoid costly up-front capital investments in infrastructure
Improve time-to-market as a new server can be created or brought online in
minutes
Provide greater flexibility as clouds allow firms to pay for excess capacity only when
they need it
Avoid the continual maintenance of excess capacity needed to handle spikes
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Improve automation that helps drive process efficiencies
“The study results make a powerful case for businesses to continue to explore and adopt
secure and flexible cloud computing solutions,” said John Potter, Vice President, As-a-Service
Solutions, AT&T.
Andrew Winston, leading expert on sustainable business and author of Green to Gold and
Green Recovery, said: “Finding providers and partners that can take some of your energyusing
operations to scale, and manage them in a shared capacity, is good for both business’
carbon footprint and its bottom line.”
The study suggests that significant non-monetary benefits can be achieved with cloud
computing, including business process efficiency and increased organizational flexibility. Paul
Stemmler from Citigroup commented: “Carbon reduction is one driver, but not the primary
driver. The primary driver is time to market. Developers used to take 45 days to get new
servers, but in the internal cloud infrastructure that we operate in our own private network,
it takes just a couple of minutes.”
Verdantix conducted in-depth interviews with multi-national firms—including Aviva, Boeing,
Citigroup and Juniper Networks— in diverse sectors. All study participants had adopted
cloud services for at least two years. Many of the firms interviewed reported cost savings as
a primary motivator, with anticipated cost reductions as high as 40 – 50 percent.
Luis Neves, Chairman of the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) commented on the
report: “We are delighted to lend our methodology to this valuable and fascinating new
insight into the financial and sustainability benefits of cloud computing.”
Paul Dickinson, Executive Chairman of CDP, welcomed the ICT sector’s leadership in driving
sustainability: “A large percentage of global GDP is reliant on ICT – this is a critical issue as
we strive to decouple economic growth from emissions growth. The carbon emissionsreducing
potential of cloud computing is a thrilling breakthrough, allowing companies to
maximize performance, drive down costs, reduce inefficiency and minimize energy use – and
therefore carbon emissions – all at the same time.”
This study follows the release of a recent paper, “Building a 21 st Century Communications
Economy.” Tying these studies together, Dickinson commented: “The communications
economy of the 21 st century has the potential to generate more economic value with less
environmental impact, and ICT companies will lead the way.”
The full cloud computing report can be downloaded at https://www.cdproject.net/en-
US/WhatWeDo/Pages/Cloud-Computing.aspx.
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About the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
CDP is an independent not-for-profit organization holding the largest database of primary
corporate climate change information in the world. Some 3,000 organizations and cities
across the world’s largest economies now measure and disclose their greenhouse gas
emissions and climate change strategies through CDP, in order that they can set reduction
targets and make performance improvements. This data is made available for integration
into local government, business and policy decision making. For more information visit
www.cdproject.net.
About Verdantix
Verdantix is an independent analyst firm focused on sustainable business. We provide
authoritative data, analysis and advice to help our clients resolve their energy, environment
and sustainability challenges.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and
affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United
States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the
nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi,
high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the
best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most
countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse ® and AT&T | DIRECTV
brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the
most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T
Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T
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areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T
Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies
1 Represents the 2,653 firms generating revenues of more than $1 billion in the U.S.
2 Based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics average mpg, Federal Highway Administration average annual
mileage and the Energy Information Agency gallons of gasoline per barrel of oil.
3 For an explanation of cloud computing, see pp. 6-7 of the report.
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