1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving a database query; estimating an energy consumption requirement for generating a new query plan adapted for executing the database query; estimating an energy consumption saving resulting from executing the new query plan against a database instead of executing an existing query plan against the database, wherein the energy consumption saving comprises the difference between an amount of electrical energy required to execute the existing query plan and an amount of electrical energy required to execute the new query plan; and upon determining that the energy consumption saving exceeds the energy consumption requirement, generating the new query plan.