What is Azure carbon optimization (Preview)
Azure carbon optimization helps organizations measure and minimize the carbon impact of their Azure footprint. With this tool, you can:
- Track and analyze emissions across Azure resources and subscriptions.
- Access carbon emissions data and insights via REST APIs and CSV exports.
- Optimize resource utilization to lower emissions and costs.
As part of Microsoft's commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, and by using it, you can align your cloud strategy with your sustainability goals and demonstrate your leadership in addressing the global climate challenge.
Azure carbon optimization key features
Granular emissions data in the Azure portal - Track emissions at the resource group and resource level for the past 12 months across all Azure services. Access this data through the Azure portal, by searching for carbon optimization on the home page.
Role-based access control - Access to emissions data is controlled by Azure roles at the subscription level. Users must have one of the following roles for each subscription they want to view emissions for:
- Owner
- Contributor
- Reader
- Carbon optimization Reader
Flexible data views - Analyze emissions across multiple dimensions:
- Subscription
- Resource group
- Resource
- Resource type
- Location
REST APIs and CSV exports - Export data to CSV for reporting and analysis. Programmatically access emissions data using REST APIs to create custom integrations.
Carbon reduction recommendations - Receive AI-driven optimization recommendations to reduce carbon emissions based on resource utilization. These recommendations might include:
- Switching to more efficient SKUs
- Shutting down idle or underutilized resources
View estimated carbon savings and cost impacts of each recommendation before making any changes.
Emissions equivalents - Compare emissions using relatable equivalents, such as the number of smartphones charged or trash bags recycled. These calculations are based on the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.
Microsoft's sustainability offerings comparison
Azure carbon optimization is part of a comprehensive suite of Microsoft products that help you manage and reduce your cloud carbon footprint. Each offering targets different sustainability use cases:
| Offering | Purpose | Target users | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Sustainability Manager | Broad sustainability management (carbon, water, waste) across the entire supply chain beyond cloud usage | Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) teams | Paid |
| Emissions Impact Dashboard | Organization-wide Azure emissions tracking and reporting | Central IT sustainability teams | Power BI Pro license required |
| Azure Emissions Insights | Advanced sustainability analytics, powered by Microsoft Fabric | IT Sustainability data analysts | Built on Microsoft Fabric |
| Azure carbon optimization | Granular emissions tracking and optimization for IT teams | IT pros and developers | Preview available in the Azure portal |
The following tools work together to create a comprehensive IT sustainability management strategy at your organization:
- Emissions Impact Dashboard: Organization-wide Azure emissions tracking and reporting
- Azure carbon optimization: Granular emissions monitoring and optimization at the team level
- Azure Emissions Insights: Advanced cloud emissions analytics powered by Microsoft Fabric
Emissions calculation and data availability
Azure carbon optimization provides detailed emissions data to help you understand and reduce the carbon footprint of your Azure workloads. This section covers the resource coverage, calculation methodology, and data availability for emissions data.
Resource coverage
Azure carbon optimization tracks emissions for all Azure resource types, based on billing and usage.
Calculation methodology
It uses the same methodology as the Emissions Impact Dashboard and Azure Emissions Insights. For more information, see the calculation methodology page. The calculation methodology ensures consistency and transparency across Microsoft’s sustainability offerings.
Data availability
Emissions data is updated monthly, with a 12-month retention period. Data for the previous month is available by day 19 day of the current month. For example, February emissions will be available by March 19.
The API provides access to up to 12 months of emissions data, while the UI displays the last two months in the table view.
For use cases requiring historical data, consider using the Emissions Impact Dashboard or Azure Emissions Insights, both of which offer up to five years of historical emissions data.
Pricing
Azure carbon optimization is free for all Azure customers during the preview period.