EU ICT firms agree to reduce electricity consumption

Lorenzo DeSantis  30 September 2010 12:08:58

Sixteen more European ICT companies have agreed to reduce the electricity consumption of their broadband equipment and data centres at the 'ICT 2010-Digitally Driven' event in Brussels. Of these, 10 companies have signed the EC code of conduct on broadband equipment bringing the number of ICT companies which have done so to a total of 20, while 6 new companies signed the code of conduct on data centres and joined the 26 participants (with 42 data centres) which are currently registered. The ten companies (both telecom operators and manufacturers) that have already signed the code of conduct on broadband equipment cover about 25 million broadband lines in the EU (27 percent). With 10 new companies signing up, the coverage will raise to 65 million in the EU (72 percent) plus 10 million more in Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Although a voluntary measure, 36 of Europe's biggest ICT companies already apply the codes of conduct, which are managed by EC's Joint Research Centre (JRC). According to the EC, ICT equipment's electric power consumption and CO2 emissions could double by 2020 in the EU. The codes' aim is to reverse this trend. At present, ICT equipment and services consume over 8 percent of electrical power in the EU and produce about 4 percent of its CO2 emissions. Data centres account roughly for 18 percent of the ICT sector's energy consumption and they are expected to grow faster than any other ICT technology. Across Europe, they consume about 56 TWh of electricity per year. Whilst the codes of conduct address the energy efficiency challenge regarding broadband and data centres, the ICT4EE Forum is looking at the overall energy and carbon footprints of the sector. The Digital Agenda for Europe adopted by the Commission in May wants to ensure that the ICT sector leads the way on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. 

Find the article on the web: http://www.telecompaper.com/news/article.aspx?cid=759187

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Sign up with TCO to get more notebooks "green labled"

Gerd Rohde  23 June 2010 10:49:13

TCO is the only environmental label that has emerged from a trade union background, the Swedish umbrella organisation for white collar workers.

Show the IT industry that there are many of us who want to see more environment-friendly notebooks. Show your support and take part together with companies, national authorities and individual people all over the world to influence the major computer manufacturers to offer the market more TCO certified notebooks.

Sign up to the TCO petition.

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TCO certifies Lenovo’s All In One ThinkCenter M90z

Gerd Rohde  23 June 2010 10:44:18

TCO Certified Edge awards leading products that are pushing the boundaries of sustainability and high performance.

The purpose of TCO Certified Edge is to promote the development of IT products with ever-improved environmental and user qualities and to highlight the leading brands in these fields.

TCO Certified Edge will make it easier for buyers and users to pick out IT products which are groundbreaking in the field of eco-friendly design and which are paving the way towards cleaner, more sustainable, more efficient IT infrastructure.

TCO Certified Edge is only for products which surpass the environmental labels currently on the market.

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Greenpeace goes at Dell

Gerd Rohde  2 June 2010 13:31:46

Greenpeace is accusing computer manufacturer Dell of not living up to its won commitments. As Greenpeace says, in 2006 Dell announced that they would stop using the most harmful toxic chemicals in their electronics by the end of 2009. Today, in June 2010, Dell still has not made a single computer, which is free of PVC plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Many of Dell's competitors are doing better and Dell is losing out on Greanpeace's scale of green ICT companies. Greenpeace and UNI ICTS invite you to tell Dell to do better.

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EU Conference on ICT for energy efficiency (ICT4EE)

Gerd Rohde  12 March 2010 16:10:22

A major EU Conference on ICT for energy efficiency (ICT4EE) took place on  23-24 February in Brussels.

The conference addressed to role of ICTs in lowering the carbon dioxide emissions. Particular attention focussed on the ICT applications in smart and sustainable cities, smart metering, smart buildings, transports and logistics and smart grids.

All the presentations and videos of the Conference are now available online.

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UNI europa ICTS Forum reports now published

Gerd Rohde  21 February 2010 15:51:36

ICTS Forum Helsingor documents now available for free download.

Both reports can be downloaded from the ICTS publication site in four languages: English, French, German and Spanish. The reports can also be ordered as hard copies by using the order form on the same page.

1.   Strengthening green ICT: Stimulating investment, creating jobs (conference report written by Karin Hirschfeld)

2.  Green ICT: a trade union report  (background report by Andrew Bibby)

3.  UNI europa ICTS Forum 2009: Green ICT for jobs,  Resolution and action plan

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Key EU documents on green ICT

Gerd Rohde  21 February 2010 14:10:24

Key documents:

• "Mobilising Information and Communications Technologies to facilitate the transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy." , European Commission Recommendation - C(2009) 7604 - Brussels, 9.105.2009
• "Mobilising Information and Communication Technologies to facilitate the transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy", European Commission Communication - COM(2009) 111 - Brussels, 12.3.2009
• "Addressing the challenge of energy efficiency through Information and Communication Technologies", European Commission Communication - COM(2008) 241 - Brussels, 13.5.2008
• "Information and Communication Technologies for a Low Carbon Society", European Commission Public Consultation Report - Brussels, September 2009
• "Information and Communication Technologies Enabling Energy Efficiency", European Commission Public Consultation Report - Brussels, May 2008
• "Impacts of Information and Communication Technologies on Energy Efficiency" by Bio Intelligence Service, European Commission Funded Study Final Report - September 2008
• "ICT for a Low Carbon Economy - Smart Buildings", European Commission Publication - July 2009
• "ICT for a Low Carbon Economy - Smart Electricity Distribution Networks", European Commission Publication - July 2009

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IDC released an ICT sustainability index

Lorenzo DeSantis  16 December 2009 15:48:20

During a press conference (http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Custom.aspx?cid=22&e=5a44e95f-cdb9-4c62-bfa8-cf712ca3a137) on December 10th in Copenhagen, IDC released its ICT sustainability index in which the G20 nations have been ranked according to their ability to reduce CO2 emissions through the use of ICT. A report which states that the efficient use of ICT could reduce CO2 emissions by 5.8 billion tons by 2020 has also been issued.

Japan received the highest ranking with a large margin over the US (2^nd) followed by Brazil, France, Germany and the UK (all 3^rd). Other classified nations include South Korea (11^th), China (12^th), India (13^th), Russia (15^th) and South Africa (19^th).

“Japan received the top spot by being able to balance its CO2 creation and use, with its GDP, its transportation network, its building infrastructures, and its ICT investments, to establish a sustainable economy and environment,” said Vernon Turner senior vice president of IDC's Enterprise Infrastructure, Consumer and Telecom Research. “Special mention should go to Brazil for its strong position in the ranking as the leader from all of the emerging nations."

In terms of sector, China has the biggest opportunity to reduce its emissions in Energy Generation and Distribution (which has the biggest potential savings) as well as in the Industry sector. When it comes to the transport sector, the US has the largest opportunity and could reduce their emissions by over 500 million tons. As for ICT-based solution for Buildings, they have as much potential savings as the Energy and Transport sectors do.

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EU Forum on ICT4EE on 23-24 February 2010

Gerd Rohde  8 December 2009 15:28:54

EU Conference on ICT for energy efficiency, 23-24 February 2010, Brussels

DG Information Society will be organising a conference on ICT for energy efficiency (ICT4EE) on 23-24 February 2010 in Brussels. The conference will look into the role of the ICT industry to contribute to an energy-efficient and low-carbon economy as was outlined by the EU Recommendation C (2009) 7604 in October 2009.
At the event the will be an exhibition of ICT for energy efficiency projects and a project award ceremony. The aim of the award is to promote innovation in ICT that will substantially reduce energy consumption. All the projects that have applied so far for the award are being listed on the Commission's website. The ranking of the projects is by public voting procedure. In order to vote you will have to create a profile and get a login.  

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We have the technologies - we can do it

Gerd Rohde  8 December 2009 10:10:07

Engineer organisations from around the world, some of them trade unions, others professional associations, publish a joint declaration, appealing to the World Leaders meeting in Copenhagen, to strike a new Climate Deal. The technology that exists today can facilitate a global reduction of greenhouse gases of 50-85% by 2050.

In their declaration the engineers emphasise that the world is wasting energy today and that energy efficiency is the easiest and cheapest way to stop global warming.

Lars Bytoft, President of UNI affiliate IDA, the Danish Society of Engineers, explains on YouTube why a binding agreement at COP 15 in Copenhagen is so import for the future.

More about the engineers' Future Climate project on their website.

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