TL; DR: Next time you’re concerned about the carbon emissions from Taylor Swift’s jet, consider this: Your web host might have an even bigger environmental impact. The internet is responsible for more than 10% of global electricity consumption — more than the aviation industry emits annually. Switching to an eco-friendly provider like Jolt is a simple yet powerful way to make a difference. We talked with Kieran Jones, CEO of Jolt, about how it aims to provide the best service while offsetting its footprint.
People are taking the environment more seriously. Although Earth Day was established in 1969, interest and concern in the environment have increased more than ever before.
In 2023, 1 in 4 surveyed Britons said the environment was one of the most critical issues for the country. Concern around this issue stands at the highest level since its record in 2021.
The problem is that technology is also advancing rapidly. The more Internet of Things solutions are developed, the more resources are used. And with more than 1 billion sites and 5.4 billion internet users, that’s a lot of emissions.
It may be time to meet Jolt. Jolt is a U.K.-based web hosting company that wants to provide robust, customer-centric solutions for businesses of all sizes.
“People don’t want to work with a company they can’t trust or don’t think is understanding of the world,” said Kieran Jones, the CEO of Jolt. “So we work really hard to ensure that we’re trustworthy, and part of that is about corporate responsibility.”
Jolt also works with The Woodland Trust (TWT), a charity that plants trees in the developing world and buys refurbished server hardware when possible to power its data centers and customers. Jolt has also worked extensively with Ecologi, and has offset almost 300 tons of CO2 through certificated carbon reduction programs, and has planted over 22,000 trees to date.
Tech Solutions Geared to SMBs
At its core, Jolt aims to make the internet and web building more accessible to its U.K. customers.
“We’re so focused on our relationship with our customers, and we want them to succeed; whether it’s a stay-at-home parent with a side hustle or you’re a huge company, we want them to get good service that meets their needs and helps them grow,” Kieran said.
Of course, a business needs reliability above all else.
Lowering the barriers to entry for the advanced features growing eCommerce stores need is essential because downtime can directly impact sales and reduce customer retention.
Jolt avoids this by owning its own private suite in its data centers. The company controls its entire network, including international fiber links and routers, and uses its equipment and transit services.
Kieran added that while this approach is expensive due to the extensive engineering involved, it ensures that its systems are reliable and stable — which, in turn, means better reliability for its customers.
Offsetting the Carbon Footprint
The internet accounts for more than 10% of annual global electricity consumption. For perspective, that’s the same amount of emissions the aviation industry puts out at more than 22 million flights.
Jolt aims to reduce its carbon footprint, make the hosting industry more eco-friendly, and encourage other providers to take responsibility and initiative within the space. That’s exactly why it works with TWT.
“The environment has enough trouble with our industry, as it consumes vast amounts of energy, so we do need to do our best,” Kieran said. “And while planting trees is important, it’s more than that.”
So Jolt purchases refurbished server hardware wherever possible because it meets the necessary specifications and is as efficient and powerful as new ones. And once its end-of-service life approaches, Jolt properly recycles the hardware.
“In the U.K., we especially believe in social responsibility,” said Kieran. “It’s not right to take a shortcut because we want to profit.”
Kieran said this is why Jolt is Fair Tax Accredited, which means they publish the amount of tax that they pay relative to their profit to ensure transparency around the socially responsible level of tax they pay.
Exploring Jolt’s Solutions
If Jolt’s status as one of the U.K.’s only green-driven web hosting providers isn’t enough, its services and features may draw you in instead.
Jolt guarantees a 99.99% uptime network and cloud uptime guarantee and specializes in cloud hosting for web, reseller, VPS, and dedicated server hosting for everyone from hobbyists to government entities that need a reliable provider.
“We help smaller businesses or hobbyists through high-end, bespoke solutions for agencies and public sectors,” said Kieran.
Here’s what you can get with Jolt:
- Web hosting: Choose from WordPress, WooCommerce, or other content management systems and set up with cPanel. It starts at 3.95 euros/mo, and you can try it for free for three months.
- Reseller hosting: Start your own business with reseller hosting. All software is included, and you can set up your WHM and WHMC with cPanel. Plans start at 13.50 euros/mo, and you can try one month free.
- Cloud VPS hosting: Get secure, cloud-based VPS hosting with 100% solid state drives (SSDs), Xeon CPUs, and Root Access. Plans start at 9.95 euros/mo.
- Dedicated servers: You can choose everything from the specifications to the operating system, and Jolt will manage the hardware with free migration if you switch over. Dedicated servers run on Dell/Supermicro Bare Metal hardware. Plans start at 43 euros/mo.
- Domain names: You can buy your domain name or renew an existing one starting at 5.99 euros/yr. If you switch to Jolt, you can transfer your domain from another provider.
- SSL certificates: Choose from Single SSL, Multi-Domain SSL, or Wildcard SSL certificates. All come with a $50,000 warranty, and starting prices range from 10 to 70 euros/yr.
- WordPress hosting: Get top-notch WordPress cloud hosting starting at 14.95 euros/yr. It comes with 10GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, a custom domain, and daily backups.
- Business hosting: Choose from Business Basic (perfect for small businesses), Business Corporate (for securing a growing business site), or Business Corporate+ (everything you need to run a successful site), with prices ranging from 10.95 to 15.95 euros/mo.
You also have multiple payment options, including Bitcoin and American Express. What’s more, you can expect round-the-clock, 24/7 customer support.
Or, as Jolt says: “No queues, no delays, no ‘we’ll get back to you in three working days.’”
In addition to these services, Kieran said Jolt is constantly working to prioritize more products to meet the different needs of their varying customers.
“We want to make it easier for small organizations, small businesses, and individuals with side hustles to succeed. This way, they don’t have to rely on platforms like Shopify, Squarespace, or other marketplaces that may not cater to their interests,” Kieran said.
“It’s important we demonstrate to our customers that we genuinely value our people, staff, and environment.”
Kieran Jones, Founder of Jolt
As for what’s next, Jolt aims to be more accessible.
“The industry has changed: people used to buy hosting, install software like Softaculous, and set up WordPress or other platforms but often got stuck,” said Kieran. “Now, people don’t buy hosting anymore; they want to buy a solution.”
If you’re looking for reliable, ethical web hosting, try Jolt for three months free.
