We are delighted that OpenCloud has been awarded the Blue Angel ecolabel (DE-UZ 215 for resource- and energy-efficient software) for this approach. While some organisations focus on growth without regard to resource consumption, we want to show this with OpenCloud: It can also be responsible, open and resource-efficient.

As a team, we have designed OpenCloud to use resources sparingly, reduce dependencies and promote digital independence - a clear sign of responsibly developed open source software.

A special thanks goes to the Green Coding Solutions GmbH for the excellent cooperation on the way to certification.

In our contribution to sustainable digitalisation with open source, we have already explained why openness, longevity and self-determination belong together in IT. These principles characterise our development and determine the technical and strategic direction of OpenCloud.

Sustainability can be shaped

The "Blue Angel" ecolabel is awarded on behalf of the German government and identifies particularly environmentally friendly products. For software solutions, this means that they must use energy and hardware resources sparingly, have a long service life and create transparency about their behaviour. The underlying criteria were developed specifically for software products and provide clear guidance for both software development and public procurement.

The criteria are based on the principle that it is not just hardware that consumes energy, but software that triggers this consumption in the first place through its architecture, programming and system requirements. Thanks to lower performance requirements, certified software solutions can also be operated efficiently on older hardware.

The criteria for DE-UZ 215 are publicly available and are revised regularly; they can be downloaded on the Blue Angel website.

How OpenCloud fulfils the Blue Angel criteria

OpenCloud implements these requirements through a series of consciously chosen technical decisions:

• The modular architecture enables precise and resource-saving configuration: only what is actually needed is activated.
• The code written in Go is lean and efficient, and additional databases are deliberately avoided.
• The platform can be operated in-house so that data remains under your own control.
• And last but not least, OpenCloud is based entirely on open source code, so the solution remains available in the long term, customisable and independently auditable.

A sustainable software architecture not only reduces energy consumption, but also extends the service life of existing hardware. It prevents technological dependencies and unnecessary forced updates, a key contribution to a sustainable IT infrastructure.

Why openness is important

Open software creates the conditions for the sustainable use of resources: It enables true data portability, reduces the need for new acquisitions and avoids technological dependencies.

Updates that do not force hardware replacement. Migrations that don't fail because of the file format. Systems that do not rely on compartmentalisation. This is exactly what we need when it comes to sustainable digitalisation. Because sustainability also means saying goodbye to models that force users into closed ecosystems and accept the consumption of resources in order to secure the sale of new devices or proprietary services.

"For us, open source not only means transparency, but also responsibility towards users, the environment and society. In view of the global climate challenges, for example, technology must always consider energy efficiency as a design goal. The Blue Angel award confirms our claim: sustainable innovation, resource conservation and digital freedom are inseparable," explains Klaas Freitag, CTO of OpenCloud.

Conclusion

Sustainable digitalisation is a continuous process that combines technical, social and ecological responsibility.

The Blue Angel award confirms the claim that software must not only function, but also work. The ecolabel stands less for an achieved state than for a clear direction towards IT that is sustainable, open and resource-efficient in the long term.