Gartner’s Technology Trends for 2025 – Energy-Efficient Computing: Recommendations for Buyers, Developers, and Users

This article is the fourth part of a blog series on energy-efficient computing.

In October 2024, Gartner published its review of the top ten technology trends for 2025. For the first time, energy-efficient computing was included as a trend, ranking sixth.

The previous articles discussed the drivers of IT energy consumption growth, energy use in software, and AI. In this fourth part, we provide recommendations for software buyers, developers, and users.

Buyers: Implement the Golden Rule

Buyers play a key role in driving the greening of the IT industry. Follow the golden rule: “Whoever has the gold makes the rules,” as illustrated in Disney’s Aladdin.

If IT procurement were to require that all new applications be developed following green coding principles, service providers would quickly become experts in sustainability. Furthermore, proper monitoring of these practices could save both the environment and the country’s trade balance by reducing cloud service costs—unless the country is the USA.

The challenge lies in integrating green coding requirements with other tender criteria, balancing price, schedule, features, and sustainability. To address this, companies should establish internal procurement guidelines that include energy efficiency and emissions as part of the evaluation criteria when selecting IT solutions and providers.

Existing suppliers should also be encouraged to adopt greener practices. While current contracts may limit flexibility, opportunities can arise in the contract’s wiggle room or through mini-competitions (if possible) for specific procurements, enabling significant progress toward sustainability.

Developers: Prepare for Change

Climate change will dominate all aspects of activity for decades to come—until it is under our control or the world gives up, which no one desires for themselves or their children. Tackling the issue early is both easier and more cost-effective.

If you work for a company without a program or strategy for green coding, eco-efficient programming, or energy-efficient computing, consider how this might impact your career development. Green requirements are likely to become more widespread and stringent, potentially shifting projects to competitors better prepared to meet these demands.

Fortunately, optimization techniques learned in universities or technical schools remain relevant. While these techniques may not have been a focus in recent decades due to hardware advancements, they have been crucial for energy-constrained environments, such as embedded systems.

In addition to optimization, developers should challenge environmentally harmful habits and practices that are often followed unconsciously. The architecture and data models of software have a significant impact on energy consumption, warranting deliberate consideration from an energy and emissions perspective.

Another tip is to focus on usability, accessibility, and overall clarity in applications. Every user error wastes energy and can lead to additional resource-intensive actions, such as searching for help online, watching tutorial videos, or contacting technical support. Reducing errors not only saves energy but also enhances user satisfaction—a win-win scenario. If you’re interested in learning more, consider downloading the free book Green Code for practical insights.

Users: Shut Your Devices

Our society has become increasingly digitalized over recent decades, with IT solutions transforming and shaping our daily lives. Many things are significantly more convenient today—no more waiting in line on the phone or needing to be in a specific location to complete tasks. However, some services have encroached on areas where they add little value, acting more as time and energy thieves.

As users, we bear significant responsibility, particularly for non-work-related solutions. For example, there’s a big difference between listening to music on YouTube with the video running, streaming it via Spotify, or simply turning off your headphones. While individual actions may seem like a drop in the ocean, collectively, these behaviors contribute to IT energy consumption.

If you find certain services causing frustration, anxiety, or other negative emotions—not counting expense reporting tools—consider reducing or even stopping their use. Try going without a service for a week or two to assess what you miss and what new opportunities emerge in its place.

Thoughts by