A new report has suggested that cloud computing is generally a better option than on-premise when looking to save energy, but it isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), alongside WSP Environment and Energy looked at how on-premise computing compared to the cloud in terms of energy efficiency – in particular power usage effectiveness (PUE) of the server room or data centre; how much of the server’s hardware is utilised; and carbon emissions.

Overall it was revealed that while running an app in the cloud is generally more energy efficient than running it in your server room, variables such as PUE and hardware utilisation are vital to cloud’s carbon footprint.

“The results confirm claims that running a business application in the cloud is generally more energy and carbon efficient than running it on-premise…however, this study demonstrates that this is not always the case and …