An
emerging wireless-enabled environment has the potential to drive billions of
dollars in energy savings and reshape how American industry, agriculture and
the public sector approach sustainability, according to a report authored by
BSR that was sponsored by CTIA-The Wireless Association.
Wireless-enabled
fleet management solutions would allow trucking and logistics companies to cut
CO2 emissions by 36 million metric tons annually – the equivalent of removing
six million passenger vehicles from U.S. roads.
“The
report illustrates the transformative power wireless communications has on our
personal and professional lives and on businesses seeking cost savings through
sustainable practices,” said Steve Largent, president
and CEO of CTIA.
“This
report is another piece of evidence for why the U.S. wireless industry needs
more spectrum as more companies of all sizes continue to use mobile products
and services to drive efficiencies that benefit their customers and the
environment,” Largent added.
Transport: Moving People and Goods – Wireless-enabled
fleet management and telemetrics
help trucking and logistics companies cut the number of empty or under-utilized
trucks on the road. For instance, better fleet management through wireless
technology could cut the amount of time that trucks idle, reducing fuel cost per truck by $3,600 and eliminating nine million metric tons of CO2
emissions annually.
Utilities: Powering Our Future – Increasingly,
wireless networks are serving as the nervous system of the U.S.’s smart
electricity and water infrastructure, connecting users with generators
(utilities) and distribution networks. Smart grids depend on information
conveyed by wireless technology to enable timely action and promote lower
energy use. If rolled out nationally, smart grids could eliminate 360 million metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of the emissions
produced by 68 million passenger vehicles or the annual energy use of 30
million U.S. homes.
Agriculture: Nourishing People – Wireless technology
enables smarter agriculture practices by helping farmers understand natural
forces, so they can adopt approaches that are more resourceful and thoughtful for
the environment. For example, farmers are increasingly using precision
agriculture to leverage newly-available data thanks to wireless technology so
they achieve the right mix of land, fertilizers, pesticides and water to boost
crop and livestock production. Wider
application of precision agriculture could reduce water use by 11-50 percent.
Public Sector: Providing Services – The public relies on
government for an array of services – from emergency response to trash
collection – that have direct environmental impacts. Wireless can help the
public sector reduce its impact in a number of these services, with smart
traffic applications as one of the most promising. By deploying these
applications, urban planners could lessen the environmental impact of public
infrastructure and public service delivery. If available on a wider scale, smart traffic applications could cut fuel consumption on urban roadways by as
much as 20 percent nationwide.
By
Telecomlead.com Team
editor@telecomlead.com
