The European Commission has announced a new green ICT strategy, designed to promote the use, and development of more energy efficient technology.

The EC is beginning its push with advice on making buildings, lighting and the power grid much greener, and will reduce its own emissions while also identifying and demonstrating solutions that are the most energy efficient.

As an example it points to advanced computer servers that consume little more energy than a light bulb, adding that switching over to them could save businesses approximately 70 per cent of their energy costs per year.

"To meet Europe's energy efficiency goals by 2020, we need a high growth, low carbon economy. Research and rapid take-up of innovative energy efficient ICT solutions will be crucial to lowering emissions across the whole economy," said Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media in a statement. "There is a win-win situation in which ICT will promote the competitiveness of EU industry while leading the fight against climate change."

The EC added that it would work to encourage firms working in IT to lead by example, urging them to become much more carbon neutral.