Energy is a big problem in the world lately. It seems that there is just not enough of it to go around. In addition, Google aims to reduce its carbon emissions. So you can probably understand why your website will be crawled less often since web crawling collectively takes up a huge amount of processing power.
With the aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2007 and using only renewable energy for its campuses and data centres by 2030, Google has been making major efforts to minimise its carbon footprint over the past few years.
Investments in renewable energy
Google has made considerable investments in renewable energy, such as wind and solar plants, in order to lessen its reliance on fossil fuels.
Increasing energy efficiency
Google has implemented a number of measures to increase energy efficiency in its data centers and other facilities, such as using advanced cooling techniques and upgrading to more efficient servers.
Reducing waste
Google has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce waste, such as using compostable plates and utensils in its cafes and donating old office equipment to schools and non-profits.
Carbon offsets
Google has also invested in carbon offset projects to help offset its remaining carbon emissions, such as funding projects that capture methane from landfills or provide clean energy to underserved communities.
As a result of these efforts, Google has been able to significantly reduce its carbon footprint. In 2020, Google reported that it had achieved carbon neutrality for the 13th year in a row. In addition, Google announced that it had eliminated its entire carbon legacy, meaning that it had offset all of the emissions that it had generated since its founding in 1998. And that it will use 100% carbon-free energy by 2030.
How does this impact Google’s search engines?
While the company claims that the direct impact of Google’s carbon footprint on its search engines is minimal, some analysts are pointing the other way.
Publishers worldwide share data that seemingly proves that Googlebot has dramatically reduced website crawling.
And as recent as January 2022, reports that Google is considering reducing the frequency of webpage crawling in an effort to conserve computing resources are still trending.
What does this mean for the website owners?
In short, it means that your SEO efforts have to be more accurate and spot-on. Because for every error, for every fix and validation request, you can expect the googlebot crawlers to be less frequent. They will certainly make the rounds, but you’ll just have to be patient.
Currently Google documentation on crawling states that “Crawling can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks“. And with the current condition of the world and energy needs, it’s probably not about to get any faster.
Corporate responsibility
By investing in renewable energy and reducing its carbon emissions, Google is helping to reduce greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere, which can have a positive impact on climate change. This, in turn, can help to protect the ecosystems that are crucial to supporting the web of life, including the ecosystems that support the internet infrastructure that powers Google’s search engines.
How can developers contribute?
Google has prepared this document to explain the Google Cloud approach to environmental sustainability. It includes information and other resources that you can use to understand your carbon footprint on Google Cloud and methods for developers to help in reducing carbon footprints.
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