Case study

Cloud Carbon Footprint CLI

This tool helps you understand the environmental impact of your cloud usage by measuring its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It provides insights into the sustainability of your cloud-based operations, allowing you to identify areas for improvement and reduce your overall carbon footprint.

Industry

Engineering

Team

1

Project state

Completed

Country

Austria

Cloud Carbon Footprint is an application that estimates the energy (kilowatt hours) and carbon emissions (metric tons CO2e) of public cloud provider utilisation.

Project idea

  • The end client, a leading European automaker, sought to understand their carbon cloud footprint as part of their commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. This assessment is crucial for identifying the environmental impact of their cloud computing operations, including data storage, processing, and network infrastructure.
  • By analyzing their carbon cloud footprint, the automaker can pinpoint areas for improvement and implement strategies to reduce emissions. This may involve optimizing cloud usage, transitioning to renewable energy sources, and collaborating with cloud providers who prioritize sustainability. Ultimately, understanding their cloud’s environmental impact is a critical step towards their ambitious carbon neutrality goal.

Project challenges

  • One project challenge involved working with rough estimates for the client’s cloud usage data. This required us to carefully process and analyze the estimated data exported from AWS, along with publicly available data on the CO2 emissions associated with each AWS resource, to ensure accuracy in calculating the carbon footprint.
  • Another hurdle was the inability to directly access the client’s cloud resources due to strict security measures. This necessitated numerous iterations and collaborative efforts with the client to gather the necessary information, refine our calculations, and ultimately achieve the desired outcome of assessing their carbon cloud footprint.

Results

  • Through our analysis, the client gained valuable insights into their carbon cloud footprint, identifying key contributors to their emissions and potential areas for reduction. This data-driven understanding empowers them to make informed decisions about optimizing their cloud infrastructure and minimising their environmental impact.
  • Furthermore, the project enabled the client to track their progress towards their carbon neutrality goal by establishing a baseline for their cloud emissions. This measurement provides a benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of future sustainability initiatives and demonstrates their commitment to environmental responsibility.

Business challenges

The automaker faced the challenge of balancing its ambitious carbon neutrality goals with the increasing reliance on cloud computing for its operations. Accurately measuring and mitigating the environmental impact of their cloud usage was crucial for maintaining a sustainable business model and meeting stakeholder expectations.
  • Empower the automotive industry to embrace sustainable cloud computing practices. By providing accurate carbon footprint assessments, we aim to drive informed decision-making and accelerate the transition to carbon neutral operations.
  • Facilitate the adoption of environmentally responsible technologies within the automotive sector. Through our expertise and collaborative approach, we strive to minimise the ecological footprint of cloud-based solutions and promote a greener future for mobility.
  • Inspire a shift towards greater transparency and accountability in cloud usage. We are dedicated to equipping automakers with the knowledge and tools necessary to measure, manage, and reduce their environmental impact, fostering a culture of sustainability across the industry.
Business challenges - Cloud Carbon Footprint CLI by Tech Stack Apps

Project essentials

User-Friendly

Designing an intuitive interface that simplifies interaction with the tool and facilitates efficient data analysis.

Versatility

Supporting diverse cloud providers and data formats to accommodate a wide range of user needs and cloud environments.

Transparency

Providing clear and comprehensive documentation that explains the tool’s methodology, functionalities, and output for informed interpretation of results.

Transparency - Cloud Carbon Footprint CLI by Tech Stack Apps

Development in detail

  • The initial phase will focus on building the core functionalities of the CLI tool, including data ingestion, processing, and calculation of carbon emissions based on various cloud providers and resource types. This will involve developing robust algorithms and integrating with relevant APIs to ensure accurate and efficient data handling.
  • Next, we will prioritise user experience by designing an intuitive command-line interface with clear prompts and helpful feedback mechanisms. This will include implementing features such as auto-completion, error handling, and interactive help to enhance usability and accessibility for users with varying levels of technical expertise.
  • The third phase will center on expanding the tool’s capabilities to support a wider range of cloud providers, data formats, and reporting options. This will involve conducting thorough research and development to ensure compatibility with evolving industry standards and user requirements, enhancing the tool’s versatility and adaptability.
  • Finally, we will prioritise rigorous testing and quality assurance to guarantee the accuracy, reliability, and performance of the CLI tool. This will include conducting unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance testing to identify and address any potential issues before release, ensuring a seamless and robust user experience.

Technology stack used

Node JS

Node.js is a fast, scalable, server-side JavaScript runtime built on Chrome’s V8 engine, widely used for building real-time web applications and APIs due to its non-blocking, event-driven architecture.

50%

of developers worldwide use Node.js for backend development.

50%

better performance compared to traditional server-side solutions like PHP

GIT

Git is a distributed version control system that enables developers to track changes in their codebase, collaborate on projects, and manage code efficiently.

45k

stars on GitHub for Git.

80%

of software projects worldwide use Git for version control.

CSV Generator

A CSV generator is a tool or library used to automatically generate CSV files from datasets, often used in reporting, data export, and data analysis.

3k

GitHub stars for CSV generator libraries.

25%

faster data export processes using automated CSV generation tools.

AWS

AWS is a comprehensive cloud computing platform offering a wide range of services, including computing power, storage, and databases, used by enterprises for scalable applications.

1.2M

active AWS users worldwide.

40%

cost savings with AWS’s pay-as-you-go model compared to traditional infrastructure.

Results obtained

The project successfully delivered a user-friendly CLI tool that empowers users to accurately estimate the carbon footprint of their cloud resources. This tool enables informed decision-making regarding cloud usage optimization and contributes to achieving sustainability goals.

Accurate Estimation

The tool provides precise calculations of carbon emissions based on diverse cloud resource utilisation data.

Enhanced Awareness

Users gain a deeper understanding of the environmental impact associated with their cloud computing activities.

Informed Decisions

The tool empowers users to make data-driven choices regarding cloud resource optimisation and sustainability initiatives

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