The Key Requirements for the Greening of Emerging IT Technologies: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

The Information Technology (IT) industry is not only an emerging global sector but also has the potential to support various business verticals. The rapid pace at which we demand and process information, and the significant convenience it brings to our lives, is remarkable. However, it is important to recognize that the IT industry, particularly the general computing sector, significantly contributes to energy consumption and carbon emissions. This systematic review aims to identify the key requirements for greening emerging technologies. The main objective of this study includes examining sources of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions within the IT sector and exploring the potential of various IT technologies to improve energy efficiency. This review study adopted systematic review processes that involved filtering 1988 academic articles down to 374 relevant studies, focusing on seven technologies: cloud computing, mobile computing, Internet of Things, big data analytics, networking, blockchain technology, and AI. Findings of this review study reveal a classification framework for these technologies, highlighting their unique contributions and potential for energy savings. The study emphasizes the importance of adopting cross-technology techniques to enhance sustainability. This review study demonstrateds by developing a comprehensive understanding of each technology's role in energy conservation and proposing integrative approaches to greening IT. This work provides a valuable reference for organizations aiming to implement green practices and supports future research in sustainable IT solutions.