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Energy
Carbon Offset
A carbon offset is a credit for reducing emissions elsewhere to compensate for your own emissions.
Definition
A carbon offset is a tradable credit representing one tonne of CO2 (or equivalent) reduced, removed, or avoided. Organizations buy offsets to compensate for their own emissions. Types include: (1) Renewable energy — funding solar/wind projects, (2) Reforestation — planting trees that absorb CO2, (3) Methane capture — from landfills or agriculture, (4) Direct air capture — removing CO2 from air. For datacenters, offsets should be a last resort — first reduce emissions through renewable energy and efficiency. Harch Corp achieves 47 gCO2/kWh through direct renewables, not offsets.
Related Keywords
carbon offsetcarbon creditco2 offsetcarbon neutral datacenter
Related Terms
Carbon Intensity
Carbon intensity measures CO2 emissions per unit of electricity consumed, expressed in gCO2/kWh.
Carbon-Aware GPU
Carbon-aware GPU computing schedules workloads based on renewable energy availability to minimize carbon emissions.
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy comes from natural sources that replenish — solar, wind, hydro, geothermal.