"100% green hosting" — the line blooms on €3/month shared landings and enterprise clouds alike. Rarely paired with PUE, dated carbon report, or explicit scope. Green becomes brand color, not measurement.
Useful investigation does not ask "are you eco?" It asks: what is measured, on what scope, with what public documents?
Three levels of "green" — from slogan to proof
Level 1 — Symbolic. Leaf icon, "eco-friendly" mention, carbon offsets bought without detail. No auditability.
Level 2 — Declarative. "100% renewable" via guarantees of origin or PPAs. Real improvement at electrical socket, but narrow scope.
Level 3 — Documented. Measured PUE, detailed energy mix, annual carbon report (scopes 1-2-3 at least partial), hardware policy (lifespan, refurbishment), sometimes ERE/ERF for heat reuse.
| Claim | Proof to demand | Without proof |
|---|---|---|
| "Green hosting" | Dated report + scope | Logo alone |
| "Carbon neutral" | Report + offset method | Credit purchase without numbers |
| "Efficient datacenter" | Audited PUE, not marketing average | Unsourced figure |
| "Renewable" | Contracts or on-site production | Vague mention |
Frequent greenwashing signals
- Missing or "estimated" PUE without measurement method.
- Carbon offset without prior reduction or scope 3 hardware.
- Reseller showing landlord datacenter green without operational control.
- Confusion between building efficiency (PUE) and your hungry application footprint.
Infomaniak illustrates documented level: public PUE, impact report, no-AC cooling since 2013. Many "green" competitors do not reach that transparency — not a reason to disqualify them, but not to score them on the same scale.
A credible green host quantifies. A green marketing host colors.
The summit: host green does not offset your waste
Decide and move forward without blind spots
Shortlist two hosts and request the same pack: carbon report, PUE, hardware policy. Compare like for like.
App-side: optimize images, cache, CDN choice — green hosting guide completes this grid.
Browse our ecology-filtered directory and comparator.
Frequently asked questions
Does a "green hosting" logo prove a green datacenter?
No. Without documented PUE, verifiable renewable mix, and dated carbon report, the logo only proves marketing positioning — not measured footprint.
What does "100% renewable energy" actually cover?
Often datacenter electricity at the socket via GOs or PPAs — not server manufacturing, indirect cooling, or your application consumption.
How do you compare two hosts on ecology?
Same criteria: PUE (and ERE if available), verifiable renewable share, carbon report scope, hardware policy, annual public report — not leaf count on the site.
Is Infomaniak a reference to avoid greenwashing?
Relatively yes: public impact report, PUE ~1.085, documented mix. See our Infomaniak ecology investigation for verification method.
Green leaf on the landing? Ask for the report PDF — not button color.