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Is Your IT Killing the Planet?
Explore how Sustainable IT, AI in utilities, and green hydrogen trends are revolutionizing environmental sustainability in technology.
In todayโs Tech Pulse, gain insight into how:
Businesses can integrate Sustainable IT to enhance cost savings, security, and environmental stewardship.
Utility companies utilize AI and digital twins to optimize sustainability goals amidst increasing renewable energy integration.
The green hydrogen industry is set to transform with cutting-edge production technologies and global collaborations, boosting its competitive edge and accessibility.
Each of these articles is penned by members of Forbes Technology Council, key luminaries shaping the future of technology leadership.
Grab your coffee, and let's dive in!
How To Implement Sustainable IT: A Guide For Business Leaders
The push for environmental sustainability is carving a significant niche within the tech industry, specifically through the advent of Sustainable IT.
This concept focuses on the ecologically responsible management of IT assets throughout their lifecycle, from design to disposal, aiming to minimize the ecological footprint of technology operations.
Hereโs what you need to know:
๐ฑ Macro to Micro Impact: Sustainable IT bridges the gap between large-scale environmental contributions and everyday business practices, promoting both outward-facing and inward-focused approaches to sustainability.
๐ Why It's Important: Adopting sustainable IT practices can lead to substantial cost savings and enhanced data security. Proper IT asset management ensures sensitive data is handled securely, even at the end of an asset's life.
๐ Lifecycle Phases
Upstream: Focuses on sourcing IT assets with regard to energy efficiency and reduced emissions.
Use: Optimizes energy consumption of IT assets, leveraging energy-efficient infrastructure and technologies.
End-of-Lifecycle: Ensures secure disposal or repurposing of IT assets to avoid environmental harm.
๐ Strategies for Sustainability
Energy Efficiency: Incorporates low-power solutions and optimizes software for reduced energy use.
Renewable Energy: Utilizes renewable sources like wind and solar, especially in data centers.
Lifecycle Management: Maintains strict governance over IT assets from procurement to disposal to enhance security and sustainability.

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How Utility Companies Can Maximize Sustainability Using AI
As utility companies grapple with heightened regulatory and societal demands for sustainability, AI, especially in the form of digital twins, is emerging as a transformative solution.
In 2022, the electric power industry was responsible for about a third of the U.S.'s total energy-related CO2 emissions, highlighting the urgent need for innovative approaches to reduce the environmental impact of utility operations.
Hereโs how AI impacts the environment:
๐ฟ Sustainability Pressures: Utility providers are pivotal in national energy infrastructure, facing immense pressure to meet renewable energy standards and reduce carbon emissions.
๐ค AI's Role in Utilities: AI enhances operational efficiency and predictability in utilities, crucial for integrating renewable energy and managing complex energy systems without service disruptions.
๐ง Understanding AI's Utility Applications
Digital Twins: Virtual replicas of physical systems that enhance management and predict renewable energy outputs, stabilizing the energy landscape.
Data-Driven Insights: Enables better forecasting and operational decisions by analyzing large customer behaviors and power generation datasets.
๐ค๏ธ AI for Renewable Energy Integration
Handling Variability: Digital twins and machine learning aid in managing solar and wind energy fluctuations, ensuring stable grid operations.
Optimizing Storage and Transmission: AI algorithms help control the flow and storage of energy, which is crucial for maintaining grid stability amidst the increasing use of renewables.
Top Green Hydrogen Trends For 2024: Paving The Way For A Sustainable Future
Green hydrogen stands at the forefront of the clean energy transition, carving an essential path toward reducing global carbon emissions.
Here are key trends shaping the green hydrogen landscape, reflecting its growing integration and significance in the global energy mix:
๐ Shift from Color Coding to Carbon Intensity: The industry is moving away from using color-coded labels for hydrogen to focus on the quantifiable carbon intensity metric, providing a more accurate measure of environmental impact.
๐ฟ Innovative Production Techniques: Advancements such as electricity-free electrolysis are revolutionizing the production of green hydrogen, making it more economically viable and efficient while optimizing the use of intermittent renewable energy sources.
๐ธ Cost Competitiveness: Electrolysis technology has matured, making green hydrogen increasingly competitive with traditional hydrogen sources. Continuous material science and manufacturing improvements are expected to further reduce costs and enhance scalability.
๐ญ Industrial Applications: Green hydrogen is gaining traction in high-temperature industrial processes, such as in steel and chemical manufacturing, helping to replace fossil fuels and facilitating the decarbonization of these sectors.
These trends collectively forecast a robust future for green hydrogen, emphasizing technology-led solutions and collaborative efforts to achieve a sustainable landscape.
Wrapping Up
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