[1st-mile-nm] ICT Could Cut U.S. Emissions by 22 Percent, Save Billions

[Richard Lowenberg]

ICT Could Cut U.S. Emissions by 22 Percent, Save Billions

www.climatebiz.com/news/2008/11/18/ict-could-cut-us-emissions-22-percent-save-billions

ClimateBiz
Published November 18, 2008

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Properly deployed information and communications technology
(ICT) could cut U.S.-based carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 22 percent by
2020, according to new research.

ICT could also save the country up to $240 billion in gross energy and fuel
costs, according to the Boston Consulting Group and The Climate Group. The
organizations unveiled the U.S. addendum to a previously released report called
"SMART 2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in the information age," which used
a global scope.

The original report found that ICT's global carbon footprint could nearly double
by 2020, but it has the potential to help other sectors cut emissions up to five
times that amount. An examination of opportunities in the U.S. focused on four
areas of technology that already exist: A smart electrical grid, efficient road
transportation, smart buildings, and travel substitution.

A smart electrical grid and more efficient road transportation have the
potential to tamp down two large sources of emissions. A smart grid, for
example, could cut emissions by as much as 480 million metric tons and same up
to $35 billion in energy and fuel costs. More efficient road transportation
could trim nearly as much emissions and save another $115 billion and trim
nearly as much emissions.

Smart buildings and travel substitution, such as virtual meetings and flex-work,
could combined avoid nearly 500 million metric tons of CO2 and save the U.S. up
to $170 billion.

The report also calls on the federal government to recognize ICT's role in
combating climate change, much the same as Japan and Europe already has done. A
national body to establish CO2 standards and metrics could coordinate
public-private collaboration, while the government also should encourage the
widespread adoption of broadband and monetize carbon to reward energy
efficiency and emissions reductions.

To download the Report, go to:
www.greenercomputing.com/resources/resource/smart-2020-enabling-low-carbon-economy-it



-- 
Richard Lowenberg
1st-Mile Institute
P.O. Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110;   505-603-5200 cell
rl at 1st-mile.com  www.1st-mile.com

----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.