We recognise the importance of Earth Day this month which reminds us of our shared responsibility to protect the planet. The theme for Earth Day 2025 is “our power, our planet”, inviting everyone around the globe to unite behind renewable energy, and to triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030, and reduce the environmental impact.
As a leading Irish hosting company, we actively reduce our environmental impact and encourage businesses and individuals to follow our lead. Data centres are not only essential to global connectivity but are also at the heart of what we do at Blacknight. With growing attention on the energy demands of data centres, we’ve taken proactive steps to lower our carbon footprint while continuing to prioritise efficiency, sustainability, and innovation in our operations.
Blacknight’s Sustainability Initiatives
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Powered by Renewable Energy
We’re proud to support Ireland’s goal of achieving 80% renewable electricity by 2030. We power our data centres with sustainable energy sources wherever possible—including wind, hydro, and solar. Our Carlow office runs almost entirely on solar energy, and the data centres we use operate on 100% renewable green power.
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Energy-Efficient Cooling Systems
We take advantage of Ireland’s naturally cool and humid climate to keep our servers at optimal temperatures while minimising energy consumption. For most of the year, we use free air cooling, reducing our reliance on energy-intensive air conditioning. Some of our data centres have free cooling technologies that work in tandem with closed-loop chilled water systems, which lower cooling costs, conserve water, and reduce our overall environmental impact.
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Certifications and Sustainability Governance
Blacknight are a signatory of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact and have made significant investments in our data centre operations and business processes to reduce our Power Usage Effectiveness and improve our natural environment. Our commitment to sustainability is reinforced by the ISO 14001 certification across most of our data centres. This certification reflects our structured approach to environmental management, led by a full-time Environmental Manager and an Environmental Forum on site.
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Carbon Offsetting & Circular Economy Practices
We support carbon offset projects, reduce e-waste by refurbishing and repurposing hardware, and incorporate biodegradable and recyclable materials into our infrastructure. We participate in other initiatives such as supporting the local Carlow Beekeepers Association with the maintenance and conservation of beehives, contributing to local biodiversity and environmental sustainability efforts.
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Broader Sustainability impact
Beyond our data centre operations, we are committed to sustainability across all aspects of our business. We support sustainable transportation by providing EV charging stations for our team and visitors, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, we have invested in solar power, generating renewable energy on-site to contribute to a greener energy ecosystem. We’ve equipped our offices with automatic, motion-sensor lighting to boost efficiency and cut down on energy use. This smart setup helps us reduce waste and lower our overall carbon footprint.
Take Action: Optimise Your Digital Habits for a Greener Future
You might think any gesture won’t make a difference, but every small action contributes to a greener internet. Here are a few ways you can help:
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Reduce Data Transfer & Storage Waste
Remove unnecessary images from emails, as they make the file larger and requires more processing power, which increases energy use. When you do need to include images or videos, use compressed formats like JPEG or WebP for images and MP4 for videos to keep file sizes low. Sharing links to files is a simple way to reduce file sizes and prevent multiple copies from being stored across different devices or servers. This keeps storage more efficient and cuts down on unnecessary data use.
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Optimise Cloud & Web Usage
Adjust cloud sync settings to prevent constant background syncing, which can drain power and bandwidth. When watching videos, stream at a lower resolution if high quality isn’t needed—this reduces data use without affecting your experience. Also, turn off autoplay on social media and video platforms to stop videos from playing automatically when you’re not watching.
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Clean Up Your Digital Habits
Clearing out digital clutter helps save energy and keeps things running smoothly. Delete old, unnecessary cloud files to free up storage and reduce the energy needed to maintain them. Unsubscribe from email lists you no longer read to cut down on unwanted messages and the power used to send and store them. Instead of long email chains, use group chats for quick discussions—this reduces inbox overload and makes communication more efficient.
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Reduce Unnecessary AI & Smart Device Use
Disable AI-powered recommendations on streaming and shopping sites to reduce data processing and energy use. Turn off smart home devices when they’re not in use to avoid wasting power. Whenever possible, store files locally instead of in the cloud to reduce the energy needed for constant online access.
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Physical impact and Printing
Reducing digital waste isn’t just about managing online files but minimizing the physical impact of digital activities. One simple yet effective step is to avoid unnecessary printing of emails, documents, and reports. Running printers consumes electricity, and the use of paper and ink contributes to environmental waste. Instead, try to read and share documents digitally whenever possible.
These small changes reduce unnecessary internet traffic, easing the load on data centres.
Ireland: A Strategic Hub for Sustainable Tech Infrastructure
Ireland has emerged as a leading destination for global tech companies to establish data centres, thanks to a unique combination of environmental, economic, and strategic advantages. It’s cool climate, access to renewable energy, strong connectivity, and pro-business environment make it an ideal location for efficient, sustainable, and scalable data centre operations. Coupled with a skilled workforce and stable regulatory framework, Ireland continues to attract major investments from some of the world’s biggest tech giants.
As we celebrate Earth Day this month, we encourage businesses and individuals alike to take small but meaningful steps toward reducing digital waste and energy consumption, lifting our environmental impact. Every effort, from cleaning up your inbox to optimising your cloud storage, contributes to a more sustainable future.
Join us in making a difference. Together, we can create a cleaner, greener internet for future generations.
About the Author: Alicia Stumke
