TECHNOLOGY GIANT HP is on track to reduce its energy consumption to 25 per cent below its 2005 levels by 2010.

One of those centrally involved in helping meet the target is Ian Brooks, HP's director for innovation and sustainable computing, who says the initiative is being driven by chief executive Mark Hurd. Consolidation is a key strategy in achieving the savings. Brooks says HP will consolidate from 84 data centres down to six, comprising three primary centres which are mirrored in the case of failure. In tandem, the company is slashing the number of applications that are in use - from about 4,500 to about 2,200.

"We are looking at which applications are being heavily used, which we are dependent on for the future of the company and which are being used for legacy or simply comfort reasons," says Brooks.

The energy management programme will save about $1 billion in energy, headcount and management costs and is running in tandem with a cost-cutting programme.

HP is rolling out the same technologies to its customers, through advances in its products and the provision of consultancy services.

"Any changes to our will have a much larger impact on the environment than anything we do internally," concedes Brooks. Every HP division has goals for making their products more power-efficient using efficient power supplies and internal cooling.

Brooks said it is also looking at shipping products by rail rather than air. HP publishes an annual report providing public updates on its progress. All of which sounds very worthy, but isn't the sudden embrace of the green agenda just a response to the high cost of electricity?

"There has been a large transition in the last 18 months - because of the expectation of shareholders, organisations being constrained by their available computer power, but also because of the cost savings," says Brooks. "It's a win-win for the financial controller and the planet."