We use ICT in a wide variety of ways, often without understanding what happens behind the user interface. We’ve become accustomed to the seamless operation of cloud services, such as data centers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, search engines and communication networks without understanding what is needed to make them work. Increasingly, tasks are carried out through a collaboration between edge computing (on the user devices) and cloud services (both data storage and more complex processing). Several key factors are driving the expansion of ICT usage. First, digitalization is creating a growing demand for ICT services, which, in turn, fuels increased investment in ICT infrastructure. Second, the complexity of the services we require is expanding, leading to the development of larger service platforms and more intricate applications. This growing complexity directly contributes to an increase in electricity consumption needed to power these services. As electricity consumption rises, so does the environmental impact, making the ICT sector a significant source of emissions. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on electricity consumption within the ICT sector. While it’s easy for us to track the electricity usage of our personal devices, the resources required to power the services behind the network interface often remain invisible to the average ICT user.
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