Using the internet devours much more energy than we imagine. The grid can be considered responsible for around one-tenth of direct electricity consumption worldwide , according to Jonathan Koomey, a researcher at Stanford University. However, this figure must be taken with caution, because many of the computers that contribute to its magnitude are used for all kinds of tasks, not just data communication. This is especially true of home computers or our phones. They are part of the internet, but we do not think of them as elements of the infrastructure that support our communications.
Despite being very high, the figure masks another reality: that our servers and computers are becoming more and more efficient from the energy point of view. In this way, a linear increase in its electricity consumption since 2000 has made it possible to obtain an exponential increase in the amount of information that circulates through the Network.
The large data centers that serve the content we consume on a daily basis generate significant demand. So much so that companies like Google, Facebook or Apple often have to build huge power plants alongside them to ensure their operation 24 hours a day. According to a study by Northwestern University (USA), these centers alone are responsible for 3% of the energy consumed worldwide . Keep that in mind the next time you want to send an animated GIF of kittens.
