Greenpeace likes what it sees in terms of sustainable energy efforts at Google and Cisco, two IT giants with a big presence in North Carolina. And Google’s efforts in the Tar Heel state drew special mention.

With North Carolina becoming an increasingly popular location for big data centers, the energy topic is getting even hotter.

The two firms are tied in the new “Cool IT Leaderboard” report that the global environmental advocacy group issued on Wednesday.

Greenpeace also had words of praise for Google’s efforts to power its soon-to-be-doubled in size data center in Lenoir with sustainable energy to be supplied by Duke Energy. But the nation’s largest utility still received a lot of criticism in the report. 

“[W]hile it wasn’t released in time to be included in this report, Google’s announcement that it would push utilities to deliver more renewable energy to large customers, a practice that will start with Duke Energy in North Carolina could be a potential breakthrough,” Greenpeace’s David Pomerantz wrote in a blog about the report. “Duke’s current energy mix is powered by only 0.2 % renewable energy in the Carolinas, a stark contrast to Google’s goal of being 100% renewably powered.”

Duke plans to seek a new tariff that would favor renewable fuel sources even as the state’s General Assembly debates whether to repeal or change law that now provides incentives to the sustainable energy sector.

“Other companies ranked in the Leaderboard, like AT&T, Cisco, Google, IBM and Wipro all operate in North Carolina too, and could work together to follow Google’s lead and demand more renewable energy from Duke Energy, or step in to defend state renewable energy policies currently under attack by fossil fuel funded groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC),” Pomerantz added.

Facebook and Apple also operate huge data centers in western N.C., but neither is ranked in the report. 

Greenpeace is pushing information technology firms to endorse sustainable energy policies with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The “Cool” project dates back to 2009.

Attacking Duke

Duke in particular receives harsh criticism, even though in its own recent sustainability the Charlotte-based utility said it is rapidly phasing out old coal plants and replacing them with natural gas facilities while expanding efforts in areas such as wind and solar.

“Monopoly electric utilities, such as Duke Energy in the US and TEPCO in Japan, have not embraced the innovative potential of the IT sector on energy systems, and instead remain committed to polluting, centralised electricity generation like coal and nuclear power. Many of these same utilities support right-wing front groups such as ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) in the US, and trade associations such as the Keidanren in Japan, which are some of the biggest political obstacles to a transition to a renewable energy economy,” Greenpeace says.

“To combat the formidable power of this dirty energy political bloc, IT companies have to take vocal leadership in advocating for renewable energy, as well as the IT energy solutions they can provide as the backbone of a modern, 21st century energy infrastructure.”

IBM remained in the index, its ranking unchanged, but Oracle was dropped. 

“Cisco returns to the top of the Leaderboard with an updated set of targets for its operations, along with a performance-based commitment to move away from coal,” Greenpeace added.

The Bottom Line

Let’s be honest, however.

These IT companies are pursuing sustainable energy for many reasons, not just being “cool” or cutting emissions. Firms are under more pressure to change their energy policies in order to recruit environmentally conscious workers. There also can be bottom-line benefits of reduced costs, government subsidies, more business (Think IBM’s whole “Smarter Planet” play) and increased efficiency with such moves made through LEED certification. 

But if the environment benefits as well, then that’s a pleasant dividend  - for everyone. And with so many data centers being built in North Carolina, the importance of this sustainable energy debate is NOT to be underestimated, regardless of where one stands on climate change, global warming or whatever you wish to call it.