Compute Carbon Estimator Calculator

Model energy use across workloads, regions, and runtimes. See breakdowns for compute, storage, and data. Download CSV or PDF, then improve efficiency today confidently.

Estimator inputs
Fields support decimals; commas are allowed.
* Required for calculation
Typical month maximum is 744 hours.
Advanced power assumptions
Baseline server draw at low load.
Scaled by utilization factor.
Scaled by utilization factor.
Reset

Formula used

The calculator estimates energy and emissions using a transparent, adjustable model.

ComputePower(W) = BaseW + (vCPU × vCPU_W × Util) + (MemGB × Mem_W × Util)
StoragePower(W) = (StorageGB ÷ 1024) × Storage_W_per_TB
FacilityEnergy(kWh) = ((ComputePower + StoragePower) ÷ 1000) × Hours × PUE
NetworkEnergy(kWh) = EgressGB × Network_kWh_per_GB
TotalEnergy(kWh) = FacilityEnergy + NetworkEnergy
EffectiveIntensity(g/kWh) = GridIntensity × (1 − Renewable% ÷ 100)
Emissions(kgCO2e) = TotalEnergy × EffectiveIntensity ÷ 1000

Tip: replace default watt factors with measured averages for your instance families.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter runtime hours and average utilization for the period you want to report.
  2. Add vCPU, memory, storage, and network egress to reflect the workload shape.
  3. Provide PUE and carbon intensity values for the hosting location or data center.
  4. Optionally add renewable coverage and an offset price to estimate residual impact.
  5. Press Submit to view results above, then export CSV or PDF for sharing.

Example data table

Scenario vCPU Memory (GB) Storage (GB) Hours PUE Intensity (g/kWh) Total (kWh) Emissions (kgCO2e)
Small app 2 4 80 720 1.30 300 41.02 11.07
API service 8 16 300 720 1.40 450 139.05 62.57
Batch analytics 32 64 1,200 240 1.20 180 268.84 29.03

These examples use default power assumptions to illustrate comparisons.

Why these inputs matter

Why compute emissions vary by region

Grid carbon intensity can differ by an order of magnitude across regions. A workload running 720 hours at 0.4 kgCO2e/kWh emits twice the carbon of the same workload at 0.2. Data centers also multiply IT energy by the power usage effectiveness (PUE). At PUE 1.2, every 100 kWh of server energy becomes 120 kWh from the grid. Use regional and PUE inputs to reflect reality. Location shapes results in every report.

Power model inputs used in this estimator

The estimator uses a simple hardware power model so you can compare scenarios consistently. Compute power is approximated as base_watts + vcpu*vcpu_watts*utilization + memory_gb*memory_watts*utilization. Defaults are 20 W base, 12 W per vCPU at full load, and 0.4 W per GB. Utilization is entered as a percentage and converts to a 0–1 factor. Multiply by hours to obtain energy. Adjust inputs to match measured telemetry from your platform dashboards.

Storage and network effects

Storage consumes power even when compute is idle, so the calculator includes a storage watts-per-terabyte factor. SSD is modeled near 1.5 W/TB, while HDD can be closer to 1.0 W/TB. Provisioned gigabytes are converted to terabytes and added to the compute power before applying PUE. Network egress is treated as energy per gigabyte, with a default 0.06 kWh/GB. High traffic services may see network dominate total emissions.

Interpreting the results dashboard

The results panel reports total kWh, kilograms of CO2e, and tonnes for longer horizons. It also shows a component breakdown so you can see which lever matters most. For example, if compute is 60% of emissions, reducing utilization through autoscaling can beat small PUE changes. If storage is high, deleting stale snapshots is quick. Use the scenario name field to label runs and export a CSV for quarterly reviews and internal audits.

Optimization actions and reporting

Operational improvements can reduce emissions without sacrificing reliability. Right-size instances by comparing peak utilization, then choose fewer vCPUs or less memory. Schedule nonproduction workloads to stop overnight; cutting 8 hours daily reduces runtime by 33%. Prefer regions with lower intensity when latency allows, and target PUE improvements through provider selection. If you purchase renewable energy coverage, enter the percentage to estimate residual emissions. Keep exported PDFs as evidence for key stakeholders.

FAQs

1) What is carbon intensity and how do I choose a value?

Carbon intensity is grams of CO2e per kilowatt-hour of electricity. Use a value published for your hosting region or grid operator, and update it when you change locations or reporting periods.

2) What does PUE mean in the calculation?

PUE accounts for facility overhead like cooling and power delivery. A PUE of 1.4 means each 100 kWh of server energy requires about 140 kWh from the grid.

3) Should I enter provisioned or used storage?

Enter provisioned storage when estimating infrastructure impact, because the platform reserves capacity. If you measure actual disk usage and know thin provisioning applies, use the smaller value consistently across scenarios.

4) How does renewable coverage change the result?

The tool reduces the carbon intensity by the renewable percentage to estimate residual emissions. It does not validate certificates; treat it as an accounting assumption aligned to your reporting policy.

5) Does the network energy factor include inbound traffic?

The default factor is applied to egress only, since outbound data movement is usually billed and easier to track. If inbound traffic is significant for your case, add it to egress for a conservative estimate.

6) Can I estimate per-user or per-transaction footprint?

Yes. Run a scenario for the relevant period, then divide kgCO2e by users, requests, or jobs completed. Keep the same allocation method each month so trends remain comparable.

Related Calculators

Data Center EmissionsCloud Power ConsumptionGreen Cloud SavingsCloud Sustainability ScoreVirtual Machine EmissionsStorage Carbon FootprintCloud Power IntensityCloud CO2 EstimatorSustainable Cloud PlannerCarbon Aware Scheduling

Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.