Computers are notorious for consuming energy. But there is a simple solution, according to the boss of a Bristol-based company that is at forefront of cloud computing, writes Suzanne Savill

James Cook is holding a small plastic box in his hand.

"This," he declares: "is what we call a thin client."

Most people who use computers will have never heard of them.

But that is set to change, as "thin clients" are becoming increasingly popular due to the way in which they are helping to slim down energy bills for a growing number of computer users.

The thin clients are used by James' company SpiderGroup, which provides IT support and cloud computing for businesses and individuals.

Instead of storing memory on servers, as has traditionally been the case with computers, thin clients (which contain no software or disc drives) connect to the internet and can be accessed remotely.

"Cloud computing is without doubt the future of technology," declares James, 31, who launched his business in 2002 after leaving Bristol University, where he studied chemistry.

"It has enormous benefits for business, but more importantly it will have a huge impact on our environment."

SpiderGroup recently carried out a survey based on just one server, which showed that using thin clients would save an average of 700 watts in a working week – a financial saving of about £493 a year, and an annual reduction of about two tonnes of CO2 emissions.

While storing documents on a server consumes an average 1,921 watts per working week, using a thin client for cloud computing would consume an average 1,230 watts per working week.

"We've calculated that the two tonnes of CO2 is roughly the equivalent of 9,000 miles' worth of CO2 of a new efficient car," says James.

"This was just the results from a single server – imagine the impact and energy savings when larger offices convert to the cloud."

James – who already has around 100 clients, including Ultra PRT, the company behind the innovative driverless Personal Rapid Transit pods at Heathrow Airport – adds that there are other energy benefits to be had from not using a server in an office full of computers.

"One of the issues with computers is the need to keep them cool, which means having to use a lot of expensive air conditioning in a large office, but this isn't an issue with cloud computing because thin clients use a lot less power and so don't get so hot," he says.

"This type of computing has already caught on with a lot of companies.

"Now it is becoming more mainstream as businesses realise there are benefits ranging from saving energy and money to having greater security."

SpiderGroup is organising a series of events to help teach people about cloud computing in Bristol.

The next event will be on Thursday, September 15.

For further information email Kerry.Hale@spidergroup.co.uk or visit www.new.spidergroup. com.

Cloud computing means that all software and documents can be stored over the internet.

Cloud computing has been around since the late 1990s, when software became available online.

It has become more widespread since 2006 with the launch of Google docs, which allows you to share documents and calendars over the internet.

A growing number of companies have begun opting for cloud computing because of security, flexibility, and lower energy usage.

Cloud computing enables a user to connect to their work from any computer, whether a desktop computer at work or a laptop at home.

Instead of buying a product such as Microsoft Office, a cloud computing customer would pay a monthly subscription (typically £30 per month) and click an icon on their desktop to connect to a server (the internet) which has Office 2010 installed.

Everything gets backed-up immediately in cloud computing, so work should never be lost.