Polygon Labs introduces a sustainability dashboard

In collaboration with the Crypto Carbon Ratings Institute (CCRI), Polygon Labs has unveiled a sustainability dashboard designed to provide comprehensive visibility into the environmental and climate impacts associated with the Polygon blockchain framework.

The Polygon Network Sustainability Dashboard displays critical information such as electricity usage, carbon emissions, and sustainability measures in accordance with the recommendations in the evolving Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) guidelines. The dashboard, which was constructed and developed with CCRI funding, serves to improve the current Polygon PoS mechanism and extends tracking to Polygon zkEVM.

Following the Green Manifesto in 2022, this is a new effort relating to sustainability at Polygon Labs. Polygon Labs continues to commit to sustainability with the development of the Polygon Network Sustainability Dashboard, which includes numerous aspects of sustainability initiatives, such as statistics indicating the effect of climate on Layer 2 and base layer (L1) operations.

An address-based emissions calculation, as well as an up-to-date method, have been introduced. In terms of the balanced MiCA metrics, it provides value. It allows you to switch between framework components. Polygon Labs is focused on accelerating climate action and preserving the earth for future generations.

The dashboard, as well as the Polygon protocols for providing framework services such as Polygon Miden and Polygon CDK, will continue to be upgraded. The most significant improvement will be knowledge of the electricity sources that power the Polygon network.

According to preliminary research by Polygon PoS, 35% use AWS cloud services, and 22% use Hetzner. According to AWS, renewable energy sources accounted for 90% of their electricity use in 2022, with a goal of 100% by 2025. Hetzner is noted for using only hydropower.

The GHG Protocol suggests two ways to account for emissions obtained from buying electricity, either location-based or market-based.

The Polygon Network Sustainability Dashboard employs a location-based approach in which emissions associated with discharged electricity must be disclosed. This was provided by the International Agency. In the case of a market-based approach, it is vital to reveal emissions associated with purchased electricity.

The carbon footprint for Polygon PoS is calculated using the market-based method, which results in an 80% reduction, or 71 g/kWh, compared to the land-based method’s 381 g/kWh.

The effective execution of the market-based approach necessitates optimistic assertions regarding the utilization of renewable energy. As a result, Polygon Labs is diligently gathering the requisite input data with the intention of advancing the interface accordingly. Avenues are under consideration as a means of assisting validators in their transition to renewable energy.