Thanks for these great remarks, @SolarShogun! Let me highlight a few things that really stick out to me:
ICP could consider building and owning their own data centers, smaller, sustainable - more efficient and cheaper to own and operate.
I really could not agree more with the above statement 
. I think there is a huge opportunity to utilize modular data centers to further the decentralization of the the IC, especially in regions where standard data centers do not exist, or are cost prohibitive. I have my roots in the the Filecoin ecosystem, and I have seen many modular data center designs be implemented.
Theoretically there could be a cloud that follows the sun because nodes are built within solar-powered data centers that turn-on/off with the sun.
Absolutely. This is an idea @orlhut, @icarus, myself, and others were loosely discussing at the last NP meet-up that @louisevelayo organized. While I think there is A LOT that needs to be done to enable this, I do think it is a possibility in the not too distant future.
I think it’s important to ensure that renewable energy is being used to power the actual servers, not just purchasing renewable energy credits. Big Tech says they are powered 100% by sustainable energy, when in reality their physical infra is powered by traditional thermal units and their solar energy is in a different state / country altogether…
Yes, 100% agree with the critical importance of using genuine renewable energy that is sourced close to the operations it is associated with. That being said, I am empathetic of Big Techs attempts to decarbonize, because procuring renewable energy at the scale they require is an immense challenge. Furthermore, some companies are making big strides on these matters. For instance, Google is doing a relatively good job of making good on their goal to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) on every grid where they operate by 2030.
Due to the decentralized nature of the IC, I believe we can employ a more localized and comprehensive strategy for renewable energy procurement. The ideas I proposed above outline using both standard Scope 2 emissions analysis and marginal emissions analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental impact on the local grid. This method will allow NPs to assess the actual CO2 emissions resulting from their energy consumption and to make informed decisions about when and where to use or generate electricity to minimize the environmental footprint.
This approach aligns with the RE100 guidance but goes beyond it by including a detailed examination of both location-based and market-based Scope 2 emissions. For location-based analysis, I recommend using real-time data to monitor electricity consumption and local grid emissions factors. For market-based analysis, I recommend accounting for renewable energy certificates (RECs) and any renewable energy sourced from on-site generation or through PPAs, but with a strong preference for localized renewable energy procurement whenever possible. This is very similar to the approach we developed for the Filecoin Energy Dashboard, and shares many similarities with the great work Carbon Crowd has done with the IC Footprint.
In cases where renewable energy is not abundantly available locally, RECs will play a crucial role. They allow for the verification of renewable energy usage even when direct procurement is challenging, thus maintaining the integrity of an environmental/decarbonization claim. By employing these comprehensive strategies, I believe the IC can set a new standard in sustainable operations that truly reflect the environmental impact and support the transition to a greener energy grid.