Companies unsure about green IT

IT consumers are becoming increasingly confused about the implications of green IT and the technology solutions available to them, it has been claimed.

Studies carried out by IT analyst Gartner indicate environmentally-friendly technologies, services and legislation can be divided into short-term, mid-term and long-term activities.

The group added that immediate issues affect the next 24 months and need to yield a quick return on investment, while midterm category covers a five-year period and long-term solutions involve more esoteric products that may never become mainstream.

Rakesh Kumar, research vice-president at the firm, said: "The IT industry is saturated with green IT talk.

"Unfortunately, with so much hype, users are left with a sense of confusion about where and when they should invest their time and money."

Last week, research carried out by IT infrastructure specialist RichardsoNEyres indicated that organisations wishing to take their green IT provision seriously should seek expert help.