Abstract:
The increasing energy consumption of information and communication technologies has raised significant environmental concerns, particularly regarding carbon emissions associated with network infrastructure. This research proposes a novel Carbon Aware Routing Protocol for Delay Tolerant Networks (CARP-DTN) that routes data through paths with lower carbon intensity while maintaining acceptable performance level adjustments. The protocol integrates real-time carbon intensity data from electricity grids with network performance metrics to make environmentally friendly routing decisions. By leveraging the inherent tolerance for delay in certain types of networks, CARP-DTN achieves substantial carbon emission reductions without compromising network reliability. The proposed solution implements a modified A* algorithm that considers three specific parameters: carbon intensity, latency, and reliability. Experimental results demonstrate that CARP-DTN can reduce carbon emissions by 5-20% compared to traditional shortest-path routing algorithms, while maintaining acceptable quality of service for delay-tolerant applications. This research contributes towards green computing initiatives and provides a practical networking routing framework for reducing the carbon footprint of digital infrastructure.
