From Component to System: Rethinking Edge Computing Design through a Carbon-Aware Lens

As edge devices see increasing adoption across a wide range of applications, understanding their environmental impact has become increasingly urgent. Unlike cloud systems, edge deployments consist of tightly integrated microcontrollers, sensors, and energy sources that collectively shape their carbon footprint. In this paper, we present a carbon-aware design framework tailored to embedded edge systems. We analyze the embodied emissions of several off-the-shelf microcontroller boards and peripheral components and examine how deployment context—such as workload type, power source, and usage duration—alters the carbon-optimal configuration. Through empirical case studies comparing battery- and solar-powered scenarios, we find that the lowest-emission choice is often workload- and context-specific, challenging assumptions that energy-efficient or renewable powered systems are always the most sustainable. Our results highlight the need for fine-grained, system-level reasoning when designing for sustainability at the edge and provide actionable insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to reduce the carbon cost of future deployments.