What's near the top of the list of concerns for IT pros? If a recent survey is to be believed, they worry that the federal government may begin setting regulations for Green IT. But there's plenty of evidence those fears are unfounded.

A survey by data center operator Digital Realty Trust found that 69 percent of IT pros surveyed "were extremely or very concerned about government regulation." The study was done by Campos Research & Analysis, and surveyed senior decision makers at big U.S. corporations in charge of datacenter and green IT strategies.

But Digital Realty Trust says that the very fear of regulation may well have spurred those decision makers to begin making serious Green IT plans. A summary of the survey notes:

Concerns about potential regulations are driving companies to look closely at their datacenters and accelerate the process of implementing green initiatives to increase energy efficiency.

The survey results tend to back that up. Here's the biggest piece of evidence:

81 percent of survey participants said that carbon credits are now part of their green IT strategy --- compared to only 18 percent in 2008.

That's an astonishing jump, and there's only one reason for it: There has been a great deal of discussion about regulations concerning carbon, and carbon credits. In fact, Digital Realty Trust concludes that IT pros' fears are overblown, and that a collaboration between private industry and government is more likely --- one that will not only help the environment, but also help companies save costs as well. The survey summary concludes:

However, it is important to note that some of the concerns about government regulation may not be warranted, given the good faith efforts that government agencies such as the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency are making to work with the industry and advocacy groups like The Green Grid to spur self-management of this issue. We believe that collaboration between the government and datacenter professionals is the most effective approach to addressing datacenter energy efficiency.

I think the company has it exactly right. A combination of government prodding, market forces, and economic self-interest on the part of corporations will spur Green IT --- I don't expect to see the government have to use a heavy hand.