Summary

A specification that describes how to calculate a carbon intensity score for software applications. Created and managed by the Standards Working Group in the greensoftware.foundation.

Short description

The Software Carbon Intensity technical specification, describes how to calculate the carbon intensity of a software application. It describes the methodology of calculating the total carbon emissions and the selection criteria to turn the total into a rate that can be used to achieve real-world, physical emissions reductions, also known as abatement.

Electricity has a carbon intensity depending on where and when it is consumed. An intensity is a rate. It has a numerator and a denominator. A rate provides you with helpful information when considering how to design, develop, and deploy software applications. This specification describes the carbon intensity of a software application or service.

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Key people & links

PM: Sean Mcilroy (LI) | Green Software Foundation
Chair: Henry Richardson | WattTime
Chair: Abhishek Gupta | BCG
Website: Standards Working Group
Repository:SCI Github repo

Key people & links

PM: Sean Mcilroy (LI) | Green Software Foundation
Chair: Henry Richardson | WattTime
Chair: Abhishek Gupta | BCG
Website: Standards Working Group
Repository:SCI Github repo

Contact

Email: standards-wg@greensoftware.foundation (for members only)
Discussions: GitHub (for members and public)

If you work for a GSF member organisation, you also need to:
- Fill out the https://grnsft.org/onboarding/register form if you are new to the GSF; or
- Fill out the https://grnsft.org/onboarding/subscribe form if you are already part of the GSF but want to join this working group.
After that, you will:
- Be added to the standards-wg mailing list.
- Receive invitations to our regular meetings.

If you don’t work for a GSF member organisation, then please encourage your employer to https://greensoftware.foundation/join-us. In the meantime, you are welcome to contribute to any of our conversations or projects on https://github.com/orgs/Green-Software-Foundation/discussions/ as an individual contributor.

Getting Involved

Are you ready to join the fun and make a difference? The first thing you should do is go to the GitHub discussions forum and say “Hi” in the Introductions category and/or read & comment on any of the discussions. You can also browse and join any of the lively discussions there. This is the best way to learn and get involved with this awesome working group and the wider GSF community.
Do you have a brilliant project idea that you want to share with the world? Then start a discussion on the https://github.com/orgs/Green-Software-Foundation/discussions/categories/community-working-group Ideas board and get the interest of at least three people from 2 different member organisations. You can then reach out to the chairs or PM who will add your idea to the next working group meeting agenda.
Our Standards Working Group meets bi-weekly on a Thursday at 1600 UTC.