SMART 2020 Report: IT can reduce emissions by 15% globally

Posted: June 30th, 2008 | Author: Steve | Filed under: Sustainability | Tags: communications, Energy, ghg, global warming, IT, Technology | View Comments

A new report by The Climate Group on behalf of the Global eSustainability Initiative (GeSI) suggests that global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be reduced up to 15% over “business-as-usual” by applying Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to the power generation and transportation sectors.

The report, entitled SMART 2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in the information age, outlines how ICT’ “first and
most significant role” is in erergy efficiency, achieved through the following four methods:

• “Smart motor systems: A review of manufacturing in China has identified that without optimisation, 10% of China’s emissions (2% of global emissions) in 2020 will come from China’s motor systems alone and to improve industrial efficiency even by 10% would deliver up to 200 million tonnes (Mt) CO2e savings. Applied globally, optimised motors and industrial automation would reduce 0.97 GtCO2e in 2020, worth $107.2 billion.

• Smart logistics: Through a host of efficiencies in transport and storage, smart logistics in Europe could deliver fuel, electricity and heating savings of 225 MtCO2e. The global emissions savings from smart logistics in 2020 would reach 1.52 GtCO2e, with energy savings worth $441.7 billion.
• Smart buildings: A closer look at buildings in North America indicates that better building design, management and automation could save 15% of North America’s buildings emissions. Globally, smart buildings technologies would enable 1.68 GtCO2e of emissions savings, worth $340.8 billion.
• Smart grids: Reducing T&D losses in India’s power sector by 30% is possible through better monitoring and management of electricity grids, first with smart meters and then by integrating more advanced ICTs into the so-called energy internet. Smart grid technologies were the largest opportunity found in the study and could globally reduce 2.03 GtCO2e , worth $124.6 billion.”

While the report acknowledges that increased virtualization of work, communication and shopping is important, it states that efficiency provides the most significant role for these technologies.

http://www.theclimategroup.org/assets/resources/publications/Smart2020Report_lo_res.pdf