What’s the scope of this work?

This project will develop a methodology to aid net zero decision making for UKRI in relation to Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI).This ‘net zero decision making’ is made up of:

  • Comparison: the carbon emissions of a task vs. the ‘value’ it generates
  • Action: assigning which tasks get to emit carbon via the use of UKRI electricity and infrastructure

The VALUE project carried out three objectives:

To gain an understanding of how UKRI currently operate their DRI and where decision making structures exist, an interview was conducted with a member of the UKRI Net Zero Project Scoping Team (Ag Stephens – CEDA Head of Partnerships).

To review how other organisations approach ‘emissions-vs.-value’ comparisons, a literature review of ‘value’ assessment/quantification methods within organisations and a review of comparison techniques was undertaken. Additionally the broader system of constraint optimisation within data-centres was also investigated in literature.

These findings were used to provide recommendations to UKRI of a framework to approach ‘emissions-vs.-value’ comparisons for NetZero DRI use.

The full report can be found here: DOI:10.5281/zenodo.7692856

value

Representatives:
Susan Krumdieck, Heriot-Watt University
Jack Boulton, Heriot-Watt University

Initial abstract: DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6787673

Final Report: DOI:10.5281/zenodo.7692856