Google, Harvard's Wissner-Gross debate CO2 from Web Search

January 22, 2009

Harvard graduate student Alex Wissner-Gross created quite a stir with his claim that every web search creates between 5-10 grams of CO2 from the power required to keep those massive server farms going. Google officials apparently thought he was singling it out, but he later said he was speaking about generally about web searches and had no axe to grind with Google.But who does not equate web search with the king of search, Google? And in a Timesonline article, he points the finger directly at Google.

“We have calculated that each Google search generates an estimated 5-10 g of CO2, in part because Google’s unique infrastructure replicates queries across multiple servers, which then compete to provide the fastest answer to your query,” he wrote on Jan. 11.

No matter who he was talking about, Wissner-Gross managed to ignite the discussion about how green the web isn’t. Google refuted Wissner-Gross’ findings in its blog, claiming a search produces about .02 grams and consumes a mere 0.0003 kWh of electricity. Coverage of the debate has been widespread.

Wissner-Gross, who the a Google blog post referred to as a “professor,”appears to be a graduate student and has promised to send Google his detailed research. Other articles refer to him as a researcher, physicist and Fellow.

So remember this next time when you’re searching. My dozen searches for this blog post means I either caused a CO2 release of 2.4 grams or 120 grams, depending on who you believe (my tendency is toward the independent source, not that he is incapable of a mistake). It’s an interesting debate with the flagging economy weighing on everyone’s mind.

Posted by John Dodge on January 22, 2009 | Comments (3)

June 25, 2009

In response to: Google, Harvard's Wissner-Gross debate CO2 from Web Search
Meredith Poor commented:

Certainly operation of server farms isn't 'free'. However, people that run massive server complexes often go to some trouble to place them in advantageous areas, such as, for instance, the Columbia river valley where most power is generated from hydroelectric dams. Other good places to put them are areas with lots of wind potential and thus wind turbines. It's doubtful that anyone, including anyone at Google, really knows what the carbon footprint of a search is.

January 27, 2009

In response to: Google, Harvard's Wissner-Gross debate CO2 from Web Search
ken commented:

Now we're engineering solutions to non-issues. CO2 is not what warms the Earth.
www.petitionproject.org/index.html

January 27, 2009

In response to: Google, Harvard's Wissner-Gross debate CO2 from Web Search
Cosmic Central commented:

Is this what Al Gore's psuedo science based religion has reduced us to - fingerpointing? This is how "educated" people spend their time?

Design News Partner Zones

Light Matters: The Unsung Heroes of Modern Health Care
First, let's define "no-compromise." In an ideal configuration, this lamp would use a high-brightness LED (HBLED) that is built into a small, integrated package and is able to produce a large quantity of focused light, operate with a high level of reliability and generate no audible noise. Is this difficult? Yes, but it is possible.
Read More

Design Engineers' Portal for Sensing and Machine Safety
Whatever industry you're in, or whatever product you manufacture, the right sensors to automate your plant, and to improve your overall efficiency, quality and safety are a must. You'll find Banner Engineering to be an amazing resource of products, training and people with expertise.