The next technological frontier is called the metaverse. It lures online game developers and social media professionals to a $800 billion market. In the future development of the internet, it will merge the digital and physical domains through the use of real-time 3D elements.
Metaverse technology is being used already in many ways. These include cooperation, technical skill training and communication skills development. Accenture workers were actually able to gather in their virtual workspace during the outbreak and were then onboarded. PwC employees in Hong Kong who are able to communicate with their advisers have used Sandbox to access virtual real estate.
While there is a growing interest to the metaverse, criticisms of energy and data centre use as well as other environmental effects of these technologies have been ongoing. In order to build an infrastructure for metaverse, which includes the integration of AI and blockchain, it requires a lot of computing power and electricity. This has been criticized by some communities.
The problem with energy intensive tech powering the Metaverse
The Metaverse’s reliance on virtual reality (VR) technology and data centres will have a negative influence on the environment. Virtual reality, however, is dependent upon cloud services. Data centres use artificial intelligence for monitoring eye movements and hand movements. These plants require a lot of energy to operate, and this has an environmental consequence.
According to ECS (a UK-based digital transformation consulting firm), training an AI model can result in over 620,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. That’s more than five times what the average vehicle produces. According to experts at Lancaster University, an environment in which 30 percent of gamers use cloud gaming platforms will lead to a 30% rise in carbon emissions over current gaming.
NFTs are also a concern due to the potential impact of AI. They will be fueling the metaverse. NFTs use a lot of energy. Because most creators still use Ethereum as a proof of work consensus mechanism, mining is an expensive computer activity. Ethereum is estimated to consume around 31 TWh of power each year. That’s roughly equivalent to Nigeria.
The metaverse is a beautiful and impressive technology. However, it’s high energy use has raised concerns. Things are changing slowly as innovative metaverse solutions that promote eco-friendly technology enter the fray.
Potential Solutions on the Rise
Developers and crypto enthusiasts are now working to ensure the blockchain and crypto ecosystem’s long-term viability. Numerous NFT/P2E projects have implemented an environmentally-friendly layer to their ecosystem in order to address the energy crisis. Planet Mojo, a non-energy intensive project, is an example.
Planet Mojo, an auto-chess platform that allows players to play against each other (PvP), is reinvented with blockchain. Players can own their characters as NFTs and earn in tournaments. In the future, players will be able to utilize their customized game characters or assets in a suite of games that are part of the Planet Mojo universe.
It is interesting that it is the only project to try to preserve the fundamental principles of green cryptocurrency by building on Polygon because of its low gas cost. Its plans to collaborate with carbon-neutral environmental group to support the planet and give back on a consistent basis have caught many’s attention. It is not only building an impressive P2E platform, but it also continues to promote green NFTs.
A Green Crypto Ecosystem
Even though metaverse is in an early stage, high levels of emissions have been significantly reduced. If VR environments are truly resilient, emissions could rise to the sky. A combination of protocol and hardware upgrades might be enough to reduce the negative effects of the metaverse. Projects like Planet Mojo, which creates environmentally-friendly projects at the base, may make things better.
It is still too soon to determine the potential environmental effects of metaverses. To draw any conclusions, more research is needed and analyses must be conducted. Innovations in blockchain technology on the green eco-system cannot be overlooked. We are at the start of a revolution, let’s wait and watch how things unfold.