EXECUTIVE
INSIGHT
BT
BT has an ambitious project to supply its own electricity and is
aiming to provide a measure of the carbon footprint of services
etwork operators face a com- and 58% from sustainable combined heat
N
mon dilemma: A reduction in and power (CHP) plants.
‘By 2020 we want to
energy consumption makes BT’s approach and measurements dif-
good financial and public fer from those of its European peers.
reduce by 80% CO2
relations sense; but growth in the new Orange, for example, measures energy
services that drive revenues is leading to use per subscriber. But BT argues its busi-
emissions worldwide’
steadily rising energy requirements. ness differs: “Only 25% of BT’s business is
Energy consumption by BT’s UK net- with a consumer. How do you [measure]
Chris Tuppen
work and estate alone rose 1.1% during some very, very big customers? It’s differ-
the 2009 financial year to 2,718 Gigawatt- ent for us. We have metrics that fit around “Standards applied across the supply and
hours (Gwh), according to the company. energy consumption per gigabit of traf- service chain will be essential for opera-
What’s more, the operator is responsible fic,” explains Tuppen. “By 2020 we want to tors that want to move towards provid-
for about 0.7% of the UK’s entire electric- reduce by 80% CO2 emissions worldwide ing a measure of the carbon footprint of a
ity consumption. But that has not pre- against 1996/1997 figures. It’s a financially given service, which is increasingly of in-
vented BT from putting in place targets oriented measure. It’s the closest [figure to terest to large enterprise customers,” says
to reduce by 2016 its UK climate change the]…per subscriber [metric].” Tuppen. However, the task is complex.
impact to 80% below 1997 levels. The company is not depending wholly “The carbon footprint associated with tel-
Part of what makes the goal possible, on renewable energy to improve its envi- ecom services would need to incorporate
despite current increases in absolute en- ronmental record over the longer term. the energy used in manufacturing, and
ergy usage, is the way in which BT calcu- Energy saving will also play a role, both in networks and offices etc.,” he adds.
lates climate change impact. For example, the form of squeezing better performance Progress is in part stalled by a lack of
the target applies to CO2 equivalent emis- out of existing installations and by way standard approaches. “There are currently
sions per unit of BT’s contribution to GDP. of upgrading networks. BT has already different carbon reporting requirements.
BT reported just over 40 tonnes of CO2 launched an energy saving campaign, [It] creates confusion,” says Tuppen. He
emissions per million pounds of turno- which sets out to save 75,000 tonnes of adds that standard measurements “are ur-
ver in 2005, falling to just over 30 tonnes CO2 by March 2011. In 2009 the com- gently required”. Advances are being made:
of CO2 emissions per million pounds by pany claimed to have saved over 53 Gwh “We are pleased to hear the EC is look-
2009. Another key factor for the com- of energy, or 20,200 tonnes of CO2 in the ing at it. We can work with nation states
pany is generating energy from renewable yearthrough a mix of measures, accord- to produce a consistent approach across
sources, even down to creating its own ing to the BT 2009 sustainability report: Europe.” Indeed Tuppen believes a con-
clean energy supply. switching off unused network equipment sistent approach is feasible within the next
One of the most important environ- has led to a saving of 17.5 Gwh per year; couple of years, although he says there will
mental measures BT has taken in the past server virtualisation and modernisation of inevitably be “certain approximations be-
year has been the installation of photo- data centre cooling equipment has saved cause of the complexity [of the process]”.
voltaic panels in its US headquarters in 5.3 Gwh per year; and both cutting office BT would also like the means to meas-
Los Angeles, says Chris Tuppen, head of space and adjusting office temperatures ure effectively the energy savings created
sustainable development and corporate ac- has saved 29.6 Gwh. by using its services. “The other piece
countability at BT. But it has a much more But there are limits, imposed largely is being able to evaluate carbon savings
ambitious aim in the longer term: the com- by customer demands. “BT’s data centre through customers applying products.
pany will look to provide “250 Megawatts is split into two: Half is supporting BT’s That’s another carbon metric and in that
of wind power by 2016 to provide electric- own operations, including billing, BT’s one there aren’t really any standards,” says
ity for one quarter of [the operator’s] UK apps; the other half is providing services Tuppen. In fact, measuring the carbon
electricity needs,” says Tuppen. to customers hosting their own applica- footprint of a given service throws down a
In 2007, BT announced that it would tions. Many of our customers prefer not huge challenge to the industry. “Very, very
invest £250 million in wind farms to to be virtualised,” says Tuppen. “The main few products have that analysis. It’s com-
achieve the aim. Indeed, BT reported initiatives have been virtualising the half plex to work out numbers…when doing it
58% reductions in its climate change dedicated to BT.” at hardware or a software level. Are sup-
impact between 1997 and the end of the BT would like to see a measurement pliers able to provide information on CO2
2008/2009 financial year, with 41% of its for the carbon footprint of a given serv- in the supply chain? In the main, no. Does
electricity coming from renewable sources ice, starting with large enterprise services. the industry need robust figures? Yes.” n
12
TOTAL TELECOM ENVIRONMENT SPECIAL
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