ENERGY MANAGEMENT & SUSTAINABILITY KEEP FIGHTING THE
GOOD FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
Guita Blake, Senior VP and Head of Europe at Mindtree, explains how we can use the latest technologies to reduce the impact of our day-to-day activities on the environment.
Unparalleled by any other global phenomenon, the impacts of climate change have already swept across nation and a range of industries. Average global temperatures have risen every decade since the 1970s and the 10 warmest
years on record have all occurred since 1997. Sea levels are rising, our glaciers are disappearing, and cases of extreme weather are becoming all too frequent.
According to the latest Global Risks Report for
2017 from the World Economic Forum, the survey of 750 experts ranked climate change and extreme weather as the most likely and the second most impactful risks faced by
the human race today, trailing only the use of weapons of
mass destruction. What then can the technology industry do to help mitigate, limit,
and to some extent reverse the biggest threat facing
humanity in the 21st century? First, maximising the
potential of Big Data is key; if used appropriately, it has
both profound implications for the creation of awareness and
for furthering understanding of the consequences of energy usage. In the midst of this new era of transparency and
collaboration, intelligent data analysis is widespread, thus allowing the public to more clearly interpret actual energy usage than ever before.
The ability to monitor our energy usage makes it possible to be smarter about it. Smart metres are the key. Nest for example has introduced a smart thermostat that
taps into homeowners’ patterns of energy usage and automatically adjusts to save on energy.
Second, the proliferation of mobile has irreversibly
changed not only the way we communicate, but also, from an energy perspective, the way the public can monitor and reduce their carbon footprint and waste, using certain apps. A recent global forecasting survey
predicts that more people will have mobile phones (5.4 billion) than electricity (5.3 billion), running water (3.5 billion) and cars (2.8 billion) by 2020. This statistic alone
22 | TOMORROW’S FM
represents a staggering example of just how far mobile devices have come.
Third, as our energy monitoring competencies have fortified, so too has our scope to employ them more shrewdly. The Internet of Things (IoT) is now capable of saving energy and carbon footprints with innovative ideas as simple, but effective, as mobile applications that can remotely turn off lights in our homes. Whether it’s the management of our water supply through monitoring garden sprinklers, or using driving sensors that advise us on different routes to avoid traffic jams, the IoT can play a significant role in reducing the impact of day-to-day tasks that consistently expend unnecessary energy.
Fourth, we should lean on our datacentres. Apple for example now boasts that it uses 100% renewable energy in its datacentres – especially as it is aided by the largest private solar array in
the USA. Tech giant Google is also endeavouring to match that figure. The vast majority of energy used in
these datacentres is also not from the actual technology, but from its cooling the servers.
Though inroads are being made, the tech industry must continue to be a green community that is a passionate advocate for change and eco-friendliness, spearheading initiatives in the fields of energy, water and waste.
From automobiles to factories, technology has played its part in rising pollution levels. However, tech can also take ownership for changing the course we are on, if only we can harness the ideas that inspire and awe.
The best renewable and sustainability offerings today must go one-step further than simply new clean technology. The technology sector must do everything in its power to ensure that the vision of a low carbon future becomes a reality.
www.mindtree.com twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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