Microsoft's Azure product to help companies keep track of their carbon emissions

Microsoft is doing its part in making the earth pollution free by offering companies an environment-friendly platform called ‘Smart Energy Azure Demonstration’ that can help firms track their energy emissions on a nearly real-time basis. [caption id=“attachment_2010519” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Microsoft booth at Computex. Reuters[/caption] Available on its Cloud computing service Azure, Microsoft’s ‘green’ platform uses technology from WattTime — a US-based company that brings clean energy to Internet Of Things (IoT) and buildings — which uses data from the power grid operators around the country and allow companies to track carbon emissions. “Microsoft’s partnership with WattTime will give power users the freedom to choose when and potentially where they want their electricity to come from,” TexasMonthly website quoted Rob Bernard, Microsoft’s Chief Environmental and Cities Strategist, as saying. “For the first time, customers can know the carbon footprint of the power generator that will be tapped when they flip on a switch. This allows customers to optimise when and where they use power in order to reduce their emissions,” Bernard added. Microsoft Azure solution collects real-time Carbon Emissions data from the WattTime Application Programming Interface (API) and global weather data. It then visualises this data over time, demonstrates the ability to collect related pieces of data into a single place to allow automation to act upon the conclusions extracted from it. Earlier this year, Apple’s new 175-acre campus ‘Apple Park’ opened for the employees. It replaces five million-square-feet of asphalt and concrete with grassy fields and over 9,000 native and drought-resistant trees and is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. Apple Park includes a visitors centre with an Apple Store and cafe open to the public, a 100,000-square-foot fitness centre for employees and development facilities and the Steve Jobs Theatre.