Net Zero Week: IoT enables data-driven decisions

Net Zero Week, which is running from the 6-12 July 2024, reflects how a term coined to refer to the process of balancing out carbon emissions produced by reducing or removing them from the atmosphere, has grown into a wider movement, and one recognised by the IoT industry as it leverages technologies to cut back on carbon. 

2024 marks the fourth year Net Zero Week has been running, as an official national awareness week and one of the largest net zero conferences within the UK. Each year, it welcomes policy makers, business owners, investors, academics and more to collaborate and discuss how net zero can be met.

In the spirit of realising what’s possible, IoT Insider takes a deep dive into the integration of Internet of Things across industries in the “race” to net zero, investigating how technologies are being applied to support data-driven decisions, reduce waste and optimise the use of resources. 

Manufacturing

According to information put out by the World Economic Forum, global production sectors are responsible for one-fifth of carbon emissions, consuming 54% of the world’s energy sources. Although the Office for National Statistics (ONS) representing the UK showed that the greenhouse gas emissions it produced have declined, but this is partly due to a greater dependence on imported goods. 

The main challenge is balancing a reduction in carbon emissions put out by the manufacturing sector without impacting on economic growth: in China alone, manufacturing represents approximately 27% to 28% of its economic output. Other countries following closely behind include Indonesia (22%), Japan (19%) and India (16%). 

IoT technologies are supporting a greater collection of data, which is enabling manufacturers to make more informed decisions within their facility. Sensors collecting data support predictive maintenance, by monitoring equipment closely and anticipating equipment failures before they occur. In doing so, production downtime and energy wastage is reduced, creating an overall more energy-efficient facility. 

Smart buildings 

In an exclusive piece for IoT Insider, Matthew Margetts, Director at Smarter Technologies wrote of the “serious challenges” commercial building owners and landlords within Britain face in trying to meet net zero targets set by the Paris Agreement’s 2050 deadline. “This includes potentially exponential costs to bring their buildings in line with mandated energy efficiency benchmarks. This needs to be done while remaining functional and people-centric – and resilient to future changes,” he wrote.

The smart buildings of today use sensors and meters to monitor and collect data that provides detailed insights into how the building is running, monitoring aspects from temperature to electricity usage, air quality and lights. By keeping a careful eye on usage, smart buildings can reduce the risk of wasting resources.

Xavier Mongin, Global Director for the Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Government, Defence and Smart Cities, wrote: “According to research by 100Green, the UK alone wastes 339,810,000kWh of energy annually just from people leaving the lights on when they leave a room. Smart building technology eliminates this kind of wastage, with sensors that determine when people have left a room and turn the lights off accordingly.”

He went on to write that although AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) is capable of collecting huge amounts of data, but the real challenge is being able to properly analyse and gain insights. “With this shift [convergence of AI and IoT], data will be computed in real time closer to the IoT at the Edge of even by the ioT itself.

“Operational efficiency will increase and allow IoT to effectively think for itself, learning from mistakes and adjusting a course of action accordingly,” Mongin wrote.

Facilitating coverage

Sensors, meters, whatever the solution used to collect data, needs the appropriate coverage to operate properly. Stephan Bernard, Head of Business Development of Sateliot, who recently spoke to IoT Insider about the evolution of satellite technology, detailed use cases including agriculture, environmental monitoring, smart grids and utility management that would all benefit from digitalisation, enabled by the coverage that satellite technology provides.

“With IoT technology, you can install soil humidity sensors in the ground and have an exact idea of the humidity of the soil so you know how much water to dedicate to crops,” he said. “If you’re able to optimise the amount of water you dedicate to [growing] crops, the crops will grow more efficiently and you can ensure you’re not wasting resources.”

Within environmental monitoring, sensors can be installed to monitor air quality and identify pollution sources. “Another example would be measuring the quality of water sources, where you install IoT devices that monitor water bodies for pollutants which helps with ensuring that contamination is detected early,” he explained.

Facilitating this kind of coverage is crucial for the smooth operation of IoT devices so that whatever the industry – be this smart manufacturing or buildings – can benefit from data insights and take that step closer to net zero.

There’s plenty of other editorial on our sister site, Electronic Specifier! Or you can always join in the conversation by commenting below or visiting our LinkedIn page.