CASE STUDY
Achieving sustainability through green cloud
A large mining company discovered how a cloud migration could unlock business-wide value, including significant emission reductions.
5-MINUTE READ
A call for change
For one large mining company, a commitment to operating efficiently and sustainably is at the center of everything it does.
This commitment, along with a strong focus on digital enablement, fuels all of its objectives, including implementing autonomous operations, pushing for greater carbon (CO₂) reduction and improving the communities in which it operates. It’s therefore no surprise that it saw a move to the cloud as a potential way to further these important goals.
As the company began its transition to the cloud, it needed to better understand its CO₂ footprint, especially emissions in its data centers, and how its ongoing cloud transition could contribute to emission reductions. With Accenture’s help, the company would develop a clear emissions profile for its data centers, create tactical recommendations for its cloud strategy and better understand how a cloud migration could unlock economic, operational and environmental value.
When tech meets human ingenuity
The company and Accenture team began by gathering data on energy consumption for the company’s 32 data centers. This analysis leveraged the green cloud advisor capability in Accenture’s myNav platform to illustrate emissions that could be reduced through a cloud migration.
Based on this initial assessment, the company gained a better understanding of the impact of cloud on emissions as well as potential savings through a cloud migration. It also increased its knowledge of how it could further leverage cloud in its strategic operations.
The team then turned this analysis into action. They provided sustainability recommendations and economic and environmental considerations. They showcased optimal cloud providers and datacenter locations. And they illustrated the sustainability impact of migrating 2416 servers to the cloud by the end of 2022.
A valuable difference
In just six weeks, the team demonstrated a significant sustainability and CO₂ emission reduction through the cloud. Using the myNav green cloud advisor, the team determined CO₂ emission reduction and sustainability index improvements for a two-year cloud migration.
They also provided sustainability recommendations based on target cloud providers and target locations.
5,000
The team provided estimated emission reductions of approximately 5,000 tons.
$100K
The team demonstrated IT improvement savings of more than US$100,000.
90%
The team showed how the company could realize an estimated 90 percent reduction in the carbon footprint of its data centers.
Just as importantly, a sustainable move to the cloud could enable greater and faster access to data, benefitting people in remote sites and in centralized IT through improved communications.
Finally, once migrated to the cloud, the company’s sites will be able to more actively manage their energy consumption and contribute to the goals of the business, including operating sustainably, driving digital enablement, and improving the lives of people and communities in which the company operates.