Every VPS runs on a physical server that consumes electricity 24/7. Understanding the environmental impact helps you make informed hosting decisions.
How Much Energy Does a VPS Use?
A single VPS doesn't use much, but scale matters:
| Component | Power Consumption |
|---|---|
| Physical server (idle) | 200-400W |
| Physical server (loaded) | 400-800W |
| Cooling | 30-50% of server power |
| Networking equipment | 5-10% additional |
| Per VPS allocation (shared server) | 20-100W equivalent |
A typical VPS share translates to roughly 175-875 kWh per year, depending on usage and data center efficiency.
PUE: Measuring Data Center Efficiency
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) measures how efficiently a data center converts electricity into computing:
| PUE | Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Perfect (impossible) | All power goes to servers |
| 1.1-1.2 | Excellent | Industry-leading efficiency |
| 1.2-1.5 | Good | Modern data centers |
| 1.5-2.0 | Average | Older facilities |
| 2.0+ | Poor | Significant waste |
A PUE of 1.3 means for every watt powering servers, 0.3 watts goes to cooling and infrastructure.
Renewable Energy
| Energy Source | Carbon Emissions | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 820-1200g CO2/kWh | Low |
| Natural gas | 410-500g CO2/kWh | Low-Medium |
| Nuclear | 5-12g CO2/kWh | Medium |
| Wind | 7-15g CO2/kWh | Competitive |
| Solar | 20-50g CO2/kWh | Competitive |
| Hydroelectric | 4-15g CO2/kWh | Low |
The Netherlands has an aggressive renewable energy target and many data centers run on 100% renewable power.
What Makes Hosting "Green"
| Factor | Standard Hosting | Green Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Energy source | Grid mix (fossil + renewable) | 100% renewable |
| PUE | 1.5-2.0 | 1.1-1.3 |
| Hardware age | Mixed | Modern (more efficient) |
| Cooling | Traditional HVAC | Free cooling, liquid cooling |
| Carbon offsets | None | May purchase offsets |
Free Cooling in The Netherlands
The Dutch climate is ideal for data center cooling:
| Month | Average Temp | Free Cooling Possible? |
|---|---|---|
| January | 3C | Yes, fully |
| April | 9C | Yes, fully |
| July | 18C | Mostly |
| October | 11C | Yes, fully |
Dutch data centers can use outside air for cooling most of the year, significantly reducing energy consumption compared to warmer locations.
Your Impact as a VPS User
Things you can do:
| Action | Impact |
|---|---|
| Choose efficient hosting | Reduces base energy use |
| Right-size your VPS | Don't overprovision resources |
| Optimize your applications | Less CPU time = less power |
| Schedule heavy tasks off-peak | Smoother power distribution |
| Turn off unused VPS instances | Direct power savings |
Comparing Countries for Green Hosting
| Country | Grid Renewable % | Climate (Cooling) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 98% | Cold | Excellent |
| Netherlands | 33% (growing) | Mild | Very Good |
| Germany | 46% | Moderate | Good |
| France | 75% (nuclear) | Moderate | Good |
| USA (average) | 22% | Varies | Average |
| UK | 43% | Mild | Good |
The Netherlands combines growing renewable capacity with excellent natural cooling conditions and world-class network connectivity.
Space-Node's VPS hosting in the Netherlands benefits from Dutch climate advantages for efficient cooling and the country's commitment to renewable energy.
