The internet, servers and computer centers are among the strongest-growing energy users in the information technology sector. Experts estimate that the energy consumption of computer centers alone was over 10 billion kilowatt-hours in Germany in 2008, equivalent to the annual output of nearly four medium-sized coal-fired power plants. If no steps are taken to improve energy efficiency, the power consumption in this sector could exceed 12 billion kilowatt-hours in 2010. This is associated with a corresponding rise in emissions of the environmentally harmful greenhouse gas CO2. What's more, with energy prices on the rise, businesses can expect to face significantly higher costs. "Green IT," meaning the energy-efficient and resource-efficient use of modern information and communication technologies, can help considerably to lower costs and advance climate protection.  

The Green IT Advisory Office at BITKOM, Germany's Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media, was established in early 2009 as part of the "IT goes green" funding initiative, organized under the Environmental Innovation Program (UIP). It supports professional users in implementing green IT projects by offering the following services:

• Advice on potential energy and material savings from green IT applications
• Manufacturer-neutral advice on ICT products and services
• Advice on funding programs for innovative and general projects

The German Federal Ministry of the Environment’s Environmental Innovation Program supports large-scale industrial projects that present innovative solutions that help to avoid or reduce environmental pollution. The program provides funding for innovative projects in the information and communication technology sector that incorporate an environmental dimension. The aim is to change the "never touch a running system" attitude still so widespread among ICT users today, and to exploit the considerable potential afforded by the use of innovative infrastructures. Apart from implementing innovative and eco-friendly technologies and solutions on a large scale, another focus of the Environmental Innovation Program is on the multiplier effect to promote the widespread use of these applications.