Cloud Digital Leader Why Cloud Technology Can Transform Business Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  Choosing a region with lower CO2 equivalent per kWh

  Why it's wrong here

  Google Cloud's global renewable energy matching covers electricity consumption across all regions, so the average carbon intensity of the chosen region does not change the provider-level emissions attributed to the workload. While regional grids differ in fuel mix, Google's corporate purchases of renewable energy already offset the equivalent of 100% of its data center electricity. Therefore, region selection is primarily an optimization for latency, privacy, or cost, not a meaningful direct lever for carbon reduction.

• ✗

  Using preemptible VMs

  Why it's wrong here

  Preemptible VMs are discounted, short-lived instances that Compute Engine can reclaim for other customers, but their pricing discount is based on reclaimability, not on lower energy consumption or renewable power sourcing. A preemptible VM uses the same CPU and memory resources as a standard VM during its runtime, so it does not inherently reduce energy use or emissions. They can support cost savings for batch workloads, but carbon reduction would require improving utilization or adopting cleaner energy, not simply choosing a cheaper VM type.

• ✗

  Using committed use discounts

  Why it's wrong here

  Committed Use Discounts (CUDs) are a contractual pricing model in which customers agree to spend a certain amount on compute resources for a 1- or 3-year term in exchange for lower rates. This financial commitment does not change the physical hardware, the electricity consumed, or the energy source of the data center. As a result, CUDs only alter the billing relationship, leaving the workload's carbon footprint exactly the same. They are a cost-optimization tool, not a sustainability mechanism.

• ✓

  Google Cloud's 100% renewable energy match for operations

  Why this is correct

  Google Cloud purchases renewable energy equal to 100% of the electricity consumed by its global data center operations, meaning the operational carbon emissions from a customer's workloads are effectively offset. This match is applied at the corporate level and covers all regions, so a workload running on Google Cloud has a near-zero market-based carbon footprint attributable to electricity. Consequently, this is the only option that directly addresses the company's actual carbon footprint at the infrastructure layer.

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