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Rev A 2007-08-27 1 The role of LCA in evaluating environmental performance in telecommunications Jens Malmodin, Ericsson Research [email protected]
Rev A 2007-08-27 1
The role of LCA in evaluatingenvironmental performance in
telecommunicationsJens Malmodin, Ericsson Research
Rev A 2007-08-27 2
Ericsson facts
Leading provider of mobile and fixed networks and services– Over 1,000 networks in 170+ countries– Supporting networks that serve 1 billion+ subscribers worldwide– Local presence globally with 65,000 employees– 50% of our sales are from emerging markets– Revenue ∼20 billion EUR, net income ∼3 billion EUR (2006)
Rev A 2007-08-27 3
Life cycle approach
EricssonTransports
Office & manufacturing sitesBusiness travel
Use phaseProducts energy consumption
Offices & storesVehicle fleet
Scope: our products/services life cycle
Supply chainManufacturing & office sites
TransportsRaw materials & chemicals
End of lifeCollection/treatmentRecycling of metals
LandfillResource depletion
Rev A 2007-08-27 4
LCA resultsfrom 1999
LCA results from 2001
0
5
10
15
20
Mobile phone RBS Operator
GSM (2G), 2006:24 kgResults is consistent with operator field data.
Operation
Supply chain
0
5
10
15
20
WCDMA (3G), 2006:29 kgRefers to mature systems.
Ericsson LCAs for mobile telecom
kg CO2 / averagesubscriber and year
Ericsson /Sony Ericsson
RBS = RadioBase Station
Rev A 2007-08-27 5
Mobile telecom comparedOne year’s averageGSM subscription
~ 25 kg CO2-emissions
Equals driving anaverage petrol car
125 km (~1h)on the highway.
Or equals a 5W low energylight bulb lit for a year.
1 hour 1 year
Rev A 2007-08-27 6
CO2 evolution for mobile telecomTotal CO2 / average subscriber and year, based on Ericsson LCAs
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
1st generationmobile systemsNMT, AMPS
2nd generationD-AMPS, GSM (90 kg)
2G 1997(48 kg)
100 kg CO2 /subscriber
and year
GSM 2002(33 kg)
First 3Gsystem(55 kg)
3G 2005(37 kg)
GSM 2005(25 kg)
RBS<Terminalbreakpoint
50
200
3G 2006(29 kg)
25
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Telecom’s share of global…
...primary energy 0.4%
...CO2-emissions 0.4%
...material resources <0.04%
...direct land use <0.007%
...indirect land use 0.2%Fossil energy ”biological footprint”, according to WWF/EFA analysis
CO2→
Revenues→
...while telecom revenues compared to World GDP ~ 4%
LCA figures per mid 2006 for 2.4 billion mobile subscribers,1.3 billion fixed main lines and 220 million fixed broadband lines
Rev A 2007-08-27 8
LCA results for fixed broadbandResults for the average PC in the world
950 million PCs, 32 million servers and 220 million broadbandconnections world wide (mid 2006)
0
100
200
300
400
PC modem xDSL Transmission "Internet"
kg CO2 / averagePC and year
Input/Output-LCA studies4 years life time
Operation
Manufacturing
Rev A 2007-08-27 9
Experiences from 10 years of LCAElectricity consumption for network equipment is the most important individual parameter
– Long life time and 24/7 operation– The whole site view and network view is important: site
count, cooling, power supply, back-up, maintenance etc.
Manufacturing phase is important for user equipment– Short commercial life times, battery operation– The PC is split ~ 50/50 between manufacturing/use– Stand-by important for cordless phones and modems
”Overhead activities” need to be included– Offices, travel, all transports, stores & div. other services
Rev A 2007-08-27 10
Ericsson activities inspired by LCA
To reduce network energy consumption is our no.1 goal– Reduce cooling and RF/power losses, network optimization,
stand-by features– The main-remote concept - no active cooling, very low losses– The ”green site” concept - renewable energy for remote sites
To reduce broadband stand-by consumption– Standardization activities
To set internal goals– Air transports (share of), sites (electricity consumption, office
space) and air travel (travel/meeting policy)
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1.9%1.7%ICT TOTALS:
Direct CO2-emissions
Primaryenergy
Average no. ofunits in operation
(~mid 2006)
0.6%0.55%560 million PCsOther ICT, household use
0.8%0.75%32 million servers390 million PCs
Other ICT,commercial use
0.3%0.26%1.3 billion fixed lines220 million BB lines
Fixed telecom
0.15%0.13%2.4 billion subs.Mobile telecom
Global ICT, energy and CO2
IMPORTANT: The figures also include manufacturing based on LCA studiesAbout 30% of CO2-emissions from ICT comes from manufacturing (= 0.6% of global)1 kWh electricity = 0.6 kg CO2 (LCA-figure incl. fuel chain, power plants, the grid etc.)
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ICT’s contribution to sustainability
Digital media (production, distribution)Building space (stores, warehouses etc.)Car travel (for shopping)
Downloading, p2p(SW, music, film, TV etc.)
e-health, e-learning, Internet booking, Internet banking, product e-information, web-conferencing…
Paper (production, printing, distribution)Building space (stores, warehouses etc.)Car travel (for shopping)
e-mail, e-book, e-paper,e-bill etc.
Building space (stores, warehouses etc.)Car travel (for shopping)Better planed production & distribution
e-commerce,Internet shopping
Air travel (business)Car travel (taxi, rental, own mileage)Building space (hotel rooms)
e-meeting, Tele-presence,Virtual meeting
Car travel (commuting - traffic jams)Building space (offices, ”bookshelves”)
e-working, Tele-working,Flexi-working
Substitution / reduction ofService / Application
The same services/applications can also drive sustainablegrowth in developing countries
Rev A 2007-08-27 13
Conclusion
LCA results show that ICT and especially mobile telecom has a small energy/carbon footprintImproving network energy efficiency is the best wayto reduce the energy/carbon footprintICT can make a big difference in how fast CO2-emissions from human activities can be reduced
Jens Malmodin, Ericsson [email protected]
LCA has an important role to play also in the future
