The worldwide well being and financial disaster has highlighted the necessity to speed up the digital transformation of economies to make sure social restoration, promote financial prosperity and shield the planet. Within the European Union (EU), the latest improve in geopolitical tensions has spurred the design of an bold coverage and regulatory framework to spice up power effectivity and scale back the area’s exterior dependence.
The World Financial Discussion board estimates that technological options may scale back emissions by greater than a 3rd of the 50% determine required by 2030. Digitalization, with applied sciences equivalent to 5G, cloud, Synthetic Intelligence, massive knowledge or the Web of Issues, is a key consider attaining the EU’s sustainability targets. The applying of those applied sciences to completely different industries and the event of latest digital companies can speed up the decarbonization of various sectors. Superior connectivity and high-capacity networks may facilitate effectivity and inexperienced our economies.
Digitalization, key to driving the power transition in several sectors
A latest report by the European Fee’s Joint Analysis Middle reveals that power, transport, business, buildings upkeep and agriculture are the sectors that emit probably the most Greenhouse Gases (GHG) within the EU. In the identical doc, it explains how digitalization may considerably change this example to make these very important sectors of the financial system extra sustainable.
“There is no such thing as a power transition with out digitalization”
On this context, Telefónica launched the Eco Sensible resolution, which makes it straightforward to determine the environmental advantages of every of the digital companies it provides. Eco Sensible establishes a mechanism for purchasers to contribute to defending the atmosphere by making use of environmental and sustainability standards of their buying choices. By way of the implementation of Eco Sensible options, final yr our clients averted greater than 8.7 million tons of CO₂, carbon equal to planting 158 million bushes.
Digitalization of the power sector
The European Union has proposed that, by 2030, 45% of power needs to be renewable. This determine implies a 30% discount in present fuel consumption. Digitalization can present data-driven options (analytics and forecasting) to maximise power effectivity and match provide with demand.
One of many current companies is “Power Effectivity“, which permits Telefónica’s clients to generate financial savings of their power payments and scale back working bills associated to infrastructure administration. The answer consists of the set up of power monitoring gear that generates data on power consumption and different vital variables. All the info generated are periodically despatched to the platform, which transforms them into experiences that present data on the power efficiency of the services.
Extra environment friendly transportation
Passenger street transport is predicted to extend by 21% by 2050 and freight transport is predicted to develop by 45% by then. Digitalization can promote environment friendly site visitors administration and scale back gasoline consumption.
Telefónica Tech has developed Kite Platform, the managed connectivity resolution that permits controlling and monitoring the automobile fleet in actual time and remotely, from anyplace on the planet. This initiative improves operational effectivity by avoiding pointless journey and accelerating the detection of safety threats.
A climate-neutral business
Trade is accountable for 37% of whole power consumption and about 20% of world GHG emissions. By 2030, the EU has proposed to scale back CO2 emissions from business by 23% in comparison with 2015.
Connectivity and new applied sciences are the premise of Trade 4.0. which, along with real-time knowledge administration, can obtain a extra environment friendly use of assets and a extra sustainable upkeep of factories. On this route, Telefónica Tech and Grupo Álava have signed a strategic settlement to create a predictive upkeep resolution that may present industrial corporations with a sophisticated knowledge platform. This platform will enable them to optimize their exercise by with the ability to anticipate doable failures of the equipment used.
Extra environmentally sustainable buildings
Buildings devour 40% of power within the EU. By 2050, 80% of the inhabitants is predicted to stay in city and intermediate areas. The EU desires to renovate the not inconsiderable 35 million power inefficient buildings. Contemplating the environmental affect and time spent in buildings, it’s important to advertise the good buildings to extend effectivity whereas offering an excellent consumer expertise and enhancing security.
One of many options to realize this aim in time is to make use of digital twins or applied sciences such because the Web of Issues for city space planning and predictive constructing upkeep. For example, Telefónica has enabled the automation, monitoring and centralized and distant administration of a number of of the Tendam Group‘s shops. This alliance has achieved power consumption financial savings of 15% and greater than 3,700 MWh of accrued power in these retail areas.
Digital and inexperienced transition in agriculture
By 2050, emissions from the agricultural sector are anticipated to extend by 15-20% and 10% of the world’s land space will likely be unsuitable for crops and livestock as a result of penalties of local weather change. Within the new geopolitical context, the EU wants to scale back its emissions and its dependence on imports of feed, fertilizers, and different assets.
In addition to buildings, Telefónica is selling “good agriculture” with the “Sensible Agro” initiative. This proposal brings collectively the completely different technological capabilities accessible in Telefónica for the agricultural and livestock atmosphere and transforms them into tasks tailor-made to the wants of every buyer. The tasks embrace monitoring, real-time efficiency and geo-referenced knowledge visualization of area property to allow new enterprise fashions, enhance operational processes and save prices.
Our focus is to realize inclusive, truthful, and sustainable digitalization and we work to place know-how on the service of individuals, decreasing its environmental affect. Now we have collected a few of these instances in our Digital Transformation Pocket book on “Know-how for the planet”.
Find out how to speed up this transition?
Digitalization can speed up the ecological transition, promote innovation, and improve productiveness. Undoubtedly, next-generation telecommunications networks are a necessary device to realize this. To attain Europe’s environmental goals in a well timed method, it will likely be essential to undertake bold measures to spend money on high-capacity broadband infrastructure and enhance using digital applied sciences and prospects in each the non-public and public sectors.
At Telefónica, we’re already working on this route with a twofold goal: to speed up digitalization for decarbonization and to supply digital options to advertise effectivity. Due to this fact, along with our portfolio of technological options to guard the planet, we wish to have probably the most environment friendly and low-emission telecommunications community within the sector. Our aim is to make the connectivity we provide our clients inexperienced. We’re dedicated to attaining net-zero emissions by 2025 in our fundamental markets and by 2040 in the remainder of our operations, together with our worth chain.
Along with the advantages for the planet, the hyperlink between the digital and inexperienced transitions will assist create new enterprise fashions and jobs, in addition to enhance folks’s well being and high quality of life.
