How do I check if my web hosting is green?

Use the Green Web Foundation's free API (api.thegreenwebfoundation.org/api/v3/greencheck/{domain}) to check if your hosting provider is listed as using renewable energy. Carbon Badge also shows your hosting provider's green status in your website's carbon report.

What makes a web host truly green?

A genuinely green host should use 100% renewable electricity (not just offsets), have verifiable certificates (REGOs, PPA agreements), and preferably be located in regions with high grid renewable penetration. Self-declarations without evidence are increasingly considered greenwashing.

Is green hosting worth the premium?

For most businesses, the premium is modest (10-30% higher than standard hosting) while the impact on carbon footprint is significant. A green host can reduce your website's carbon footprint by 70-90% compared to a coal-heavy grid host.

Does Carbon Badge check my hosting provider automatically?

Yes. When you add your site to Carbon Badge monitoring, we automatically check your hosting provider against the Green Web Foundation database and include the result in your monthly carbon report and badge.

Green Web Hosting: How to Check If Your Host Is Powered by Renewable Energy

Not all "green" hosting is equal. Some providers offset their emissions, others use renewable energy directly, and some make claims that don't withstand scrutiny. Here is how to verify your host's environmental credentials — and what the difference actually means for your website's carbon footprint.

Why hosting matters for website carbon

Hosting typically accounts for 10-30% of a website's total carbon footprint. The other 70-90% comes from user devices and network transmission. But hosting is the component you have the most direct control over — you can switch providers relatively easily, and the impact is measurable and permanent.

According to IEA data, data centers consume approximately 200 TWh/year globally (around 1% of global electricity use), and that figure is growing rapidly due to AI workloads. By 2026, data center energy consumption is projected to reach 1,000 TWh — a 5x increase. The grid mix of where your server is physically located determines the carbon intensity of every byte served.

A website hosted in Iceland (99% geothermal/hydro) has fundamentally different carbon characteristics than the same site hosted in Poland (still ~60% coal-powered). The technical performance may be identical. The environmental footprint is radically different.

How to check your hosting provider

The fastest way to check is a free API lookup via the Green Web Foundation:

curl https://api.thegreenwebfoundation.org/api/v3/greencheck/{your-domain}

This returns a JSON response indicating whether your domain's hosting provider is listed as using renewable energy, along with the type of evidence provided (self-assessment, third-party verification, etc.).

You can also use the Green Web Check web interface for a quick point-and-click verification.

Our Carbon Badge scanner integrates this check automatically — when you scan your website, we show your hosting provider's green status alongside your carbon weight per page view.

The Green Web Foundation dataset

The Green Web Foundation maintains an open dataset of hosting providers that have submitted evidence of renewable energy use. As of early 2026, the dataset covers over 500 hosting providers globally.

Important caveat: inclusion in the dataset requires self-declaration with supporting evidence, but the level of scrutiny varies. The Foundation distinguishes between:

Verified by evidence: the provider submitted documentation (REGOs, PPAs, utility bills) that was reviewed by the Foundation team
Self-declared: the provider submitted a statement without independent verification
Not listed: either the provider has not submitted evidence, or they are not using renewable energy

Not listed does not necessarily mean "dirty" — many smaller regional hosts use renewable energy but have not applied to be listed. The inverse is also true: being listed does not guarantee 100% renewable energy in practice.

Types of green energy claims: what they actually mean

Understanding the different types of renewable energy claims helps you evaluate hosting providers more critically.

Direct renewable energy use: The host has a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a renewable energy generator, or owns its own renewable infrastructure. This is the gold standard. The electricity powering servers physically comes from renewables. Examples: Hetzner (uses renewable energy from hydropower), OVH (partial solar + renewable certificates), Greenhost (100% renewable by direct purchase).

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs/REGOs): The host purchases certificates equivalent to the energy they consume from a renewable source. The electricity physically used may still come from the mixed grid, but the financial transfer supports renewable generation. This is the most common "green" claim and is legally defensible but environmentally less impactful than direct use.

Carbon offsets: The host pays to offset its emissions through projects (reforestation, methane capture, etc.). This does not make the energy "green" — it compensates for it. Under EU ECGT rules effective September 2026, offset-based "carbon neutral" claims require rigorous substantiation. Many hosting providers that claim "carbon neutrality through offsets" may face compliance issues.

Location-based vs market-based accounting: Sophisticated providers distinguish between these two approaches. Location-based measures actual grid emissions. Market-based accounts for certificate purchases. A host in Denmark has a low location-based footprint regardless of certificates; a host in Poland needs certificates to claim green status at market-based level.

Verified green hosting providers in 2026

Based on Green Web Foundation listings and independent research, here are hosting providers with the strongest renewable energy credentials for standard web hosting:

Hetzner (Germany/Finland): hydroelectric power in Finland, 100% renewable since 2017. Verified by Green Web Foundation. Strong data center efficiency (PUE ~1.2). Pricing: from €4/month (VPS).
Greenhost (Netherlands): solar PV, wind, and hydropower. 100% renewable, certified organic webhosting. Strong privacy policy. Pricing: from €5/month.
OVH (France): partial renewable. OVH has committed to 100% renewable by 2025 — progress is verifiable through their sustainability reports. Pricing: from €3.49/month (cloud hosting).
Infomaniak (Switzerland): 100% renewable electricity, ISO 50001 energy management certification. Swiss grid is naturally ~90% hydro/nuclear. Pricing: from CHF 4.90/month.
SiteGround (EU servers): EU data centers offset with 100% renewable energy certificates. Listed in Green Web Foundation. Pricing: from €2.99/month.

Note: pricing and renewable claims can change. Always verify directly with the provider before purchasing.

Carbon Badge + green hosting: measuring the actual impact

Carbon Badge monitors your website's carbon footprint monthly and factors in your hosting provider's energy mix. When you switch to a verified green host, Carbon Badge reflects the improvement in your next monthly report.

The difference is typically significant: a page served from a coal-heavy data center emits approximately 1.76g CO2 per page view. The same page from a renewable-powered data center emits approximately 0.15-0.25g CO2 per page view — a reduction of 85-90%.

Our embeddable Carbon Badge displays this in real time on your website, giving visitors visible proof of your hosting choice. The badge links to your detailed sustainability report, where visitors can see your hosting provider, grid mix, and SWDM v4 score.

For more on reducing your overall website carbon footprint beyond hosting, see our guide on practical website carbon reduction strategies. If you want to understand the full measurement methodology, our guide to measuring website carbon footprint covers the SWDM v4 standard in detail.