Green IT, sustainability spending to reach $70 billion by 2015: Gartner

BANGALORE: India's spending on green IT and sustainability initiatives will double from $35 billion in 2010 to $70 billion in 2015, according to Gartner, Inc.

In 2012, green IT and sustainability spending in India will total $45 billion, the technology researcher said.

Gartner analysts said green IT and sustainability are emerging as key concerns for businesses, investors and technologists across industries and policymakers in India. Though many technologies are available, government policies will eventually drive green IT and sustainability solutions adoption by Indian enterprises.

"For the first time, a chapter on sustainable development and climate change was introduced in the government's annual Indian Economic Survey, 2011-2012.

"The survey has suggested making lower-carbon sustainable growth a central element of India's 12th Five Year Plan, which commenced in April 2012," said Ganesh Ramamoorthy, research director at Gartner.

This will set the tone for future policy initiatives and regulatory measures from the Indian government that will drive the implementation of some technologies -- such as advanced metering infrastructure, carbon capture and sequestration, intelligent transportation system, solar energy technology, etc.,-- necessary to usher in low-carbon sustainable growth, he said.

As enterprises embrace IT to improve productivity and drive growth, penetration of ICT infrastructure has been growing rapidly during the past decade, as has the energy consumption and resulting carbon emissions of India's ICT infrastructure.

Apart from the ICT industry, the banking and financial services, hospitality, manufacturing (such as automobiles), pharmaceuticals, and other industries that have significant exposure to the export markets, will also join the green IT and sustainability trend early in India, Gartner said.

Linking integrated solutions through resource-efficient technologies and a full range of operational technology in urban areas and smaller cities will accelerate the development of sustainable processes and infrastructure in the future, it added.