Green IT Taking Root Despite Uncertain Payback

August, 2009

$95.00

The term green IT most frequently refers to initiatives to reduce IT energy consumption but can also entail recycling, proper disposal of toxic materials, and even telecommuting. Although the adoption of green IT is on a sharp upward curve, the economic rationale for these investments is unclear. This study first looks at adoption trends, which provide insight into how many organizations have green IT initiatives, how many are in the process of implementation, and how quickly such environmentally-friendly investments are likely to increase over the next year. We then examine the economic experience of those that already have made such investments by examining the percentage of organizations that report positive and break-even ROI within a two-year period and the percentage that exceed budgets for total cost of ownership. (9 pp., 7 figs.)
[Executive Summary]