The usual impact of technology on energy use
The report from “Sustainability in New and Emerging Technologies” suggests that the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies could actually help us save energy, rather than using more of it. They predict that by 2030, IoT could help us save more than 1.6 petawatt-hours (PWh) of electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by one gigaton.
Now, you might be wondering how technology usually affects energy use. Well, most of the time, when we create new technologies, we end up using more resources, not less. For example, when we invented things like the plough, the engine, or the computer, we were able to do more work, but we also used more energy. This is why CO2 emissions have been going up since the Industrial Revolution.
But the report suggests that IoT could be different. Even though we’re using more devices that need electricity, these devices could help us use our resources more efficiently. So, in the end, we might actually use less electricity and produce less CO2.
In addition to the reduction in electricity consumption and CO2 emissions, the report also highlights that IoT technologies could result in net savings of 230 billion cubic meters of water. The manufacturing of new IoT technologies is expected to increase global electricity use by 34 terawatt-hours (TWh), but this will be offset by the more than 1.6 PWh of electricity saved by IoT solutions. The report also mentions that the impact on CO2 emissions will be lower in regions that have a greater representation of renewable energy in their generating profile.
So, could this report be right? It’s possible. But like all predictions about the future, we won’t know for sure until we get there. What we do know is that technology has the potential to help us use our resources more efficiently, and that could be a big help in addressing some of our environmental challenges.
What does the report specifically mention?
The new report outlines multiple predictions caused by IoT devices and the energy savings they will enable. By 2030, the first estimation is that the use of IoT solutions will help reduce global energy consumption by 1.6PWh which is enough energy to power over 130 million homes. IoT devices will help reduce the net usage of fossil fuels used by vehicles by 3.5PWh.
Furthermore, the report states that the use of IoT devices will help reduce overall water consumption by 230 billion cubic meters of water. The total CO2 emissions saved as a result of IoT devices will be 1 gigaton.
Is the report correct?
It cannot be said for sure if the report is correct as it is hard to predict the future. However, basic reasoning would suggest that IoT devices will definitely help to reduce global energy and water consumption as a result of smart systems. This will, therefore, reduce the total amount of CO2 emissions, but this will come at the cost of increased e-waste.
Firstly, the report claims that energy will be reduced by 1.6PWh, which could be achieved using smart IoT systems that can intelligently shut electrical systems down when not in use. 1.6PWh compared to an estimated 25 billion devices suggests that each IoT device is saving 80KWh of energy. Still, the truth is that such energy savings will come from a handful of IoT devices utilised in national grid networks. Furthermore, the use of intelligent home heating systems will also help to contribute to such energy savings.
Secondly, the use of IoT devices will undoubtedly help to reduce global water usage. From smart farms that can provide targeted watering to home systems that can water plants intelligently, IoT devices in water deployment to conserve water. It is hard to estimate if the 230 billion figure is correct, but the current global water usage is 4,300km3, putting the IoT saving at 5%.
Thirdly, the report claims that IoT devices will help reduce the amount of fuel used in vehicles. While the specific figure provided is hard to calculate, IoT devices can conserve fuel. If properly deployed in cities, IoT devices can monitor traffic and make changes to traffic control systems to minimise the overall amount of fuel consumed by traffic.
Overall, the report presents figures that appear to be logical estimates, and the ability for IoT devices to save energy and water has been well proven in the past. The saving of energy will help reduce CO2 levels, the saving of water will help reduce energy usage and better conserve water, and the improvements in traffic and driving by IoT will also help reduce the overall amount of fuel consumed by drivers.