Concepts
DDV_DC (Data center Lifespan)
This value indicates the lifespan of a data center; if the value is not available, it can be estimated. For example DDV_DC = 25 years.
dU (Duration of use)
As defined by the ADEME Product Category Rules (PCR), the dU or duration of use, is the measurement that indicates the time a Scaleway resource such as an Elastic Metal server is used.
Emission factor
An emission factor is a coefficient that relates the amount of CO2eq emitted to a specific activity that generates that emission. This coefficient is used at Scaleway to estimate CO2eq emissions from various sources.
Energy mix
The distribution of various energy sources used to meet a region or country’s energy needs. An energy mix typically includes a combination of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), renewable sources (such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, and geothermal), and sometimes nuclear energy.
Environmental impact
Environmental impact refers to the set of effects that a human activity or product has on the environment.
In the context of digital services, and more specifically cloud infrastructures such as Scaleway’s, this impact includes several main factors:
- CO2 emissions (kgCO2eq) - This is the amount of carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) emitted directly or indirectly by the manufacture, use, and management of servers and other equipment necessary for the operation of cloud services. CO2 emissions are measured in kilograms of CO2 equivalent (kgCO2eq).
- Energy consumption - This is the electrical energy consumed by servers and associated infrastructures (networks, cooling, etc.) to ensure the proper functioning of cloud services. Energy consumption is a key factor because the production and use of electricity are often associated with CO2 emissions, depending on the energy sources used (fossil, renewable, etc.).
- Water consumption - Water is used in data center cooling systems to keep servers at an optimal temperature. Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) is an indicator that measures the amount of water used in relation to the energy efficiency of a data center.
In short, the environmental impact is an estimated measure all the resources consumed and emissions generated by an activity or product, with the aim of minimizing negative impacts on the environment and promoting more sustainable practices.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is a method of assessing the environmental impact of a product, service or process throughout its life cycle, from the extraction of materials to the end of life.
Typical stages of LCA include:
- Extraction and processing of raw materials
- Product manufacturing
- Distribution and transportation
- Consumer use
- End of life (recycling, disposal, etc.)
For each stage of the life cycle, the environmental impact is assessed based on different indicators, such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, waste production, etc.
In the context of Scaleway, the LCA can be used to assess the environmental impact of the entire life cycle of cloud services, including the extraction of raw materials for the manufacturing of hardware equipment, energy production to power data centers, the manufacturing and distribution of IT equipment, the use of cloud services by customers, and the end of life of equipment. Data on energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, waste production, etc., must also be collected and analyzed for each stage of the life cycle.
Mutualization
This factor is equivalent to PuissEqt and PuissDisponibleDC, which is the nominal power available for Scaleway at the data center. For shared equipment, such as management servers and network equipment of the data center, this factor is applied.
PuissCommDC
This value is defined by the ADEME PCR as the proportion of a data center’s installed power reserved for users.
PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness)
PUE is a key indicator used to measure the energy efficiency of data centers. It was created by The Green Grid, an organization dedicated to improving the energy efficiency of data centers.
The PUE represents the ratio between the total amount of energy consumed by a data center and the energy used directly to power IT equipment (servers, storage, networks).
It is a key factor in estimating the energy efficiency of data centers and, by extension, their environmental impact. The lower the PUE, the more energy-efficient the data center, which translates into lower greenhouse gas emissions and better sustainability performance.
PuissEqt (Rated power)
This value is defined by the ADEME PCR as how much electrical power a particular device or piece of equipment consumes while it is operating. If a server requires 500 watts of power to run, then the PuissEqt for this server is 500 watts.
Water Usage Effectiveness
Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) is a metric used to measure the water consumption efficiency of a data center. It is defined as the amount of water used by a data center in liters, per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy consumed.
The calculation is performed using the following formula: