A Systematic Review of the State-of-the-Art of Green IT and Green Software from 2020

Abstract

This article provides a systematic literature review (SLR) on green technologies, specifically Green Information Technology (Green IT) and Green Software, and their role in environmental sustainability. It highlights the growing concern about the energy consumption impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which currently accounts for 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions and could double by 2025. This review includes 268 studies from before 2020 to 2024. Emerging technologies such as blockchain, 5G, 6G, and Big Data Streaming, and their theoretical potential to mitigate their energy consumption impact, are identified and analyzed. The results indicate a strong trend towards the adoption of Green IT technologies, due to their holistic approach encompassing both hardware and software to reduce environmental impact. Furthermore, the importance of smart cities, IoT devices and cryptographic technologies in this context is underlined. Finally, it is concluded that further research in these areas is essential to develop new sustainable technologies and improve the quality of life of future generations.