The mission to reduce software's carbon emissions is in full swing, and the Foundation is at the forefront, resolute in its mission to ensure a future where software has zero harmful effects on the environment. Our commitment to training practitioners in green software, equipping them with critical data, and co-creating open-source tools has moved us closer to this sustainable vision. As we reflect on the Summer of 2023, let's delve into some of the key milestones achieved in green software.
Unveiling the State of Green Software: bringing insights and data to the forefront to decarbonize software at scale
In May, we unveiled the groundbreaking State of Green Software report, a unique digital publication that sheds light on global insights and data crucial for decarbonizing software at scale. Breaking away from conventional industry reports, it offers bite-sized "insight bytes" on green software adoption, recent academic research, leading decarbonization tools, and the evolving policy landscape. The report shows how Green Software is vital for a net zero future and provides a clear business case for any practitioner looking to get a green software project green-lit or proof points for investing more in green software.
Explore the State of Green Software.
The Impact Engine Framework Project: answering the “how” in green software
Our open-source Impact Engine Framework Project is setting the stage for practitioners to measure software emissions across all runtime environments. With the development of the SCI Specification, the GSF has already established the standard, the Impact Engine Framework provides the methodology. The anticipation is that software emissions measurement will become a mainstream activity, with thousands of professionals working to decarbonize software.
Standardized tooling is essential for an impactful approach. “Modern applications are composed of many smaller pieces of software components running on different environments, for example, private cloud, public cloud, bare-metal, virtualized, containerized, mobile, laptops, desktops, embedded, and IoT. Many components that make up a typical software application are run on something other than resources you own or control, which makes including the impact of managed services in your measurement especially hard,” says Asim Hussain, the Executive Director and Chairperson of the GSF.
This project is housed under the Open Source Working Group, currently chaired by Chris Lloyd-Jones from Avanade and Dan Lewis-Toakley from Thoughtworks.
To learn more about the Impact Engine Framework Project, click here.
Real-Time Energy and Carbon Standard for Cloud Providers: reimagining emissions reporting
Cloud providers play a pivotal role in sustainability, yet real-time carbon metrics have been elusive. As part of the information technology supply chain, cloud providers need to supply real-time carbon metrics that can be aggregated by workload, allocated and apportioned through the supply chain to satisfy regulations that are in place in Europe and California, and emerging elsewhere.
Part of the Standards Working Group, our new project aims to set a standard for measuring carbon emissions, moving away from monthly reporting to minute-by-minute metrics for all cloud providers.
Adrian Cockcroft is leading this project at the GSF and is gathering names of GSF members interested in joining the core team to help develop the standard.
Express your interest in joining the core team here.
Carbon Aware SDK: Empowering developers for a greener tomorrow
The Carbon Aware SDK helps developers build carbon-aware software solutions with the intelligence to use the greenest energy sources. The goal is to run them at the greenest time, in the greenest locations, or both! Capturing consistent telemetry, reporting on emissions reduction, and making informed decisions are the core benefits of the Carbon Aware SDK.
The newly released Version 1.1 adds new features, supporting ElectricityMaps as a new data source (both paid and free APIs), and improves quality of usage and stability. The Carbon Aware SDK can now also provide a library for DLL import usage to integrate within a project without the need to deploy an API.
Learn more about the Carbon Aware SDK v.1.1 here.
GSF Discussions: the official virtual meeting place for green software practitioners
Introducing GSF Discussions, our open forum for members and software sustainability enthusiasts. Connect with like-minded individuals, engage with the Foundation, and stay updated on all things green software. Say hello, subscribe to your favorite topics, and be part of the conversation.
Join GSF Discussions – start by saying hi 👋🏽
Improved onboarding with GSF Wiki: Your gateway to the Green Software movement
To meet increasing demand, we've revamped the GSF Wiki. It's your go-to resource for information on the Foundation, project participation, and decision-making processes. Start your journey into the green software movement with a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips.
To learn more about the GSF and how you can get involved, click here.
Writers’ Program: your voice in green software
The GSF expanded its Writers’ Program in 2023 to welcome contributors from across the ICT and tech ecosystem. We invite software developers, designers, and sustainability leaders to share their perspectives on our website. Help us increase institutional interest and investments in green software projects by contributing your insights and thought leadership. We're committed to enhancing practitioner knowledge by delivering meticulously researched insights and practical guidance from industry leaders to advance green software practices.
If you’re interested in contributing and writing an article for the GSF, click here.
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