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Articulating the Cloud: Understanding Data Centers, Renewable Energy, and Public Policy

Clemson University

All Theses, Theses

May 2020

Bailey R. Troutman

Clemson University, [email protected]
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Troutman, Bailey R., “Articulating the Cloud: Understanding Data Centers, Renewable Energy, and Public Policy” (2020). All Theses. 3297. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/3297

This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected].

  1. ABSTRACT
  2. DEDICATION
  3. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  4. TABLE OF CONTENTS
  5. LIST OF FIGURES

ARTICULATING THE CLOUD: UNDERSTANDING DATA CENTERS, RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND PUBLIC POLICY

A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science Communication, Technology, and Society

by Bailey R. Troutman May 2020

Accepted by:
Dr. James N. Gilmore, Committee Chair
Dr. D. Travers Scott
Dr. Andrew Pyle

ABSTRACT

Experts urge that drastic steps must be taken to reduce carbon dioxide emissions as the ongoing climate crisis worsens. Amid this, it is also important to understand the relationships between media infrastructures and the finite resources they require. This thesis goes beyond arguing that data centers are inherently unsustainable media infrastructures that consumers rely on to access the Internet and cloud storage. Instead, this thesis focuses on Google as an industry leading company in the United States to assess how the company understands their role in the climate crisis, and how they define renewable energy and sustainability. To do so, this thesis used critical discourse analysis of Google’s public-facing documents, government documents, and related joint reports between external research organizations and Google related to their data centers. The findings revealed the company defines sustainability as a commitment and company value, and that they have an immense renewable energy portfolio through additional acquisitions measures. Ultimately, this thesis argues that Google discursively positions themselves as corporately benevolent and masks retroactive sustainability in the guise of activism while simultaneously firing activist employees, having fossil fuel industry clientele, and financially contributing to anti-climate change organizations. This thesis contributes to important conversations related to media infrastructure sustainability, in particular emphasizing the complex tensions and dynamics at work to make banal technologies possible. It is important for consumers to understand the limitations and items lacking in corporate discourse to advocate for a more sustainable future for everyone.

DEDICATION

I first encountered data centers in 2017 as an undergraduate student and was immediately intrigued. Nearly three years later, I wrote a thesis about them and found a new research trajectory because Dr. James Gilmore encouraged me to pursue them. After submitting one of the most unique academic papers I have ever written for his seminar in my first semester, he was the first person to ever tell me my ideas were “brilliant,” that I was “brilliant.” Those words pulled me through my darkest doubts and my toughest days.

Dr. Gilmore pushed me to intellectually wrestle with tough concepts. With every conversation, very rough drafts, and every email exchange, he never stopped challenging me to do more while always encouraging me. On the days I felt like quitting and that everything was too hopeless and I could not possibly fix all that is happening in this world, he reminded me to “always find the silver lining” and to never stop believing that change is possible.

Dr. Gilmore, this thesis is dedicated to you. Thank you for the hours of your life you invested in me, in my theoretical lenses, and ultimately in the words on every single page of the biggest project I have ever completed in my life so far. When I say I would not be writing this today without your impact in my life, I truly mean it. I hope that one day I can be the advisor and mentor you have been to me for other students. I’m so grateful our Indiana paths converged at Clemson. Thank you for reminding me that I matter.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In addition to Dr. Gilmore, I would also like to acknowledge my committee, Dr. Andrew Pyle and Dr. Travers Scott. My prospectus was so ambitious, and I needed the feedback both of you offered. Thank you for supporting me and for investing in me as my committee members. This project was the culmination of all your help.

I would also like to acknowledge my master’s cohort because, without them, I daresay I would be finishing this graduate program at all. For every victory and every tough day, you were there for me. Because of each one of you, I believed in people again. I believed that other people could genuinely be happy for my successes and that I could feel safe asking for help when I needed it the most. I also realized just how much I needed the support you always gave me. I am forever thankful to have each one of you in my life.

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my family. They may not understand exactly what I do but have cheered for me every step of the way. Thank you for listening to me, for supporting me, and for always reminding me that I can do it. I love you all so much.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • TITLE PAGE
  • ABSTRACT
  • DEDICATION
  • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  • LIST OF FIGURES
  • CHAPTER

    • I. INTRODUCTION

    • II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
      • Media infrastructure studies
      • Data Centers
      • Ecological issues related to digital media
      • Renewable Energy
      • “Buying” Renewable Energy
      • Stakes of research

    • III. METHOD

    • IV. FINDINGS
      • Google’s energy terminology
      • Sustainability as Value
      • Sustainability as Commitment
      • Google and Renewable Energy
      • Carbon Neutrality
      • Buying Energy
      • Renewable Energy Credits
      • Green Tariffs
      • “Additionality
      • Measuring Energy Usage -PUE
      • Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning for Efficiency
      • Google’s Circular Economy
    • V. ANALYSIS
      • Limits of Google’s Activism & Benevolence
      • Google’s Renewable Energy Market
    • VI. CONCLUSION
      • Limitations and Directions for Future Research
  • APPENDICES
    • A: Google’s Cloud Efficiency
    • B: Google’s “Circular Economy”
  • REFERENCES

LIST OF FIGURES

1 Google’s Energy Efficient Cloud (Google, 2012, p. 2)

2 Google’s Model of a Circular Economy (Brandt, 2019)

Table of contents