Ryte Launches Carbon KPI to Measure Website CO2 Footprint

The Growing Focus on Digital Carbon Footprints

With increasing awareness surrounding our environmental impact, the carbon footprint of nearly everything is now being assessed. It may come as a surprise to many that even activities like streaming services, such as Netflix, contribute to environmental concerns.

Considering the sheer number of websites and online services available, it’s logical to assume they collectively have a significant impact.

Ryte's New Carbon Measurement Service

A new service has emerged to quantify this impact, and has recently secured venture capital funding to expand its operations.

Ryte, a company known for its Website User Experience Platform, previously raised €8.5 million ($10 million) in a funding round led by Bayern Kapital and Octopus Investments earlier this year.

The company has now introduced the ‘Ryte Website Carbon KPI’, aiming to facilitate carbon neutrality for 5% of all websites by the year 2023.

How Ryte Measures Website Carbon Impact

Ryte collaborated with data scientists and environmental specialists to develop a method for accurately measuring the carbon impact of websites.

According to research from the Shift Project, a carbon transition think tank, the internet, our devices, and the infrastructure that supports them are responsible for approximately 3.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

This figure is rapidly increasing as the world becomes increasingly digitized, particularly in the wake of the recent pandemic.

Ryte’s data scientist, Katharina Meraner, who holds a PhD in climate science and global warming, played a key role in the development of this new service, alongside input from Climate Partner.

Ryte’s Ambitious Goal

“Currently, there are 189 million active websites globally,” stated Ryte CEO Andy Bruckschloegl.

“Our objective is to achieve climate neutrality for 5% of these – 9.5 million websites – by the end of 2023, leveraging our platform, strategic partnerships, social media outreach, and other initiatives.

The urgency is clear, and making websites carbon neutral is comparatively straightforward when contrasted with other industries and processes.”

Offsetting Emissions Through Reforestation

Ryte is also partnering with a reforestation project located in San Jose, Nicaragua.

This collaboration allows customers to offset their remaining carbon emissions by purchasing climate certificates.

The Calculation Process

Ryte utilizes a unique algorithm to assess a website’s carbon footprint.

This involves analyzing the website’s code, determining the average page size, and evaluating monthly traffic data from various channels, ultimately calculating the total CO2 consumption.

Distinction from Existing Services

While similar services exist, they are often isolated and not integrated into a comprehensive platform.

Resources like Websitecarbon, Ecosistant, and relevant academic studies are readily available through a simple online search.

However, to the best of our knowledge, no other startup has yet incorporated this type of service directly into their core platform.

ClimatePartner’s Perspective

“Collaborating with Ryte will help to increase awareness regarding the contribution of information technology to climate change – while simultaneously providing tools for positive change,” commented Tristan A. Foerster, Co-CEO of ClimatePartner.

“Ryte’s leading-edge carbon calculator empowers thousands of website owners to understand their carbon footprint, offset unavoidable emissions, and establish a foundation for a comprehensive climate action strategy.”