Nokia Siemens Networks hosts Telecom Energy Summit

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There has been an increasing global concern about the environmental impact of human activity and the energy prices at levels previously considered unsustainable for the world economy. Together it is creating both ethical and financial requirements for companies to do what they can to minimize their carbon footprint. This impact of climate change is also expected to hit India significantly. India could face a loss in GDP to the tune of 9 -13% by the year 2100 if global warming is unchecked*. The country's contribution to the global CO2 emissions is expected to increase from 1,126 million tonnes in 2003 to approximately 4039 million tonnes in 2050, thus increasing its share in global emissions from 4.8 to 8.7% according to the business as usual scenario**. Therefore, it's in India's best interest, both socially and economically, to address this situation.

 

This also holds true to Communications Service Providers (CSPs) - particularly in light of the fact that Nokia Siemens Networks anticipates that five billion people will be connected to the internet by 2015. Hence to help operators excel in their environmental commitments, Nokia Siemens Networks has been working to reduce its own carbon footprint and has pioneered numerous energy efficiency initiatives. The Energy Efficiency Summit is one such initiative that aims to catalyze efficient energy management in the industry.

 

Summit Outline

 

Held on 29 August 2008 in Mumbai, the event spanned an entire day and discussed topical issues such as 'The regulatory environment and the importance of the government in our environmental future', 'Ways to utilize today's solutions and maximize the potential of renewable resources' and 'Role that ICT can play in reducing the environmental impact of all industries'.

 

The summit featured a notable and diverse gathering of energy management experts who provided a holistic perspective. The mixed bag of speakers, panel members and audience hailed from industries as varied as government regulatory bodies, NGOs and the ICT.  

 

Michael Kuehner, Head, Sub Region India, Nokia Siemens Networks said in his opening address. "Energy conservation and climate change is perhaps the most pervasive threat to our lives today. We owe our future a cleaner, greener and safer environment. Each industry needs to effect a positive change. As industry leaders, we must pave the way for this change - we're using this platform to share our thoughts on regulatory measures and energy stewardship. I am confident that with the industry's support and tenacity, we'll succeed in this endeavour."

 

This was followed by the key note speech by Siddharth Behura, Secretary, DoT. The summit undertook the ambitious target of exploring greener avenues to build a sustainable future by maximizing the positive impact on telecom services. The sessions during the Summit brought together a strong group of 

ecosystem partners from Climate Group India, GSM Association;   Indian telecom operators and solution providers like ACME to share their insights on energy savings, energy efficiency and how various parties can work together to address environmental issues in India.

 

In his speech on Nokia Siemens Networks' business environmental solutions, Juha-Erkki Mantyniemi, Head of Environnemental Affairs, Nokia Siemens Networks said, "Energy constitutes the third biggest component of a mobile operators' OPEX (ABI Research) and over 80% of it comes from the network infrastructure. By improving energy efficiency in networks and using alternative energy sources customers reduce dependency on oil and other energy sources which are threatened by escalating costs due to supply paucity."

 

"We see that telecommunications can have a net positive impact on the environment. This can be reached by minimizing our own environmental footprint,  by maximizing the positive influence we can have on other industries, and by combining environmental performance with business performance.

 

We are today #1 in deploying energy efficient mobile networks and our efforts are focused around continuous improvement on energy efficiency and also working together across industries to ensure maximum positive influence", added Juha-Erkki 

 

Driven by its commitment to effect a cleaner greener environment, Nokia Siemens Networks has built an impressive portfolio of green solutions and products. Some of these include:

 

· Radio access energy efficiency solutions including products such as the Nokia Siemens Networks Flexi Base Station which help cut energy consumption by up to 70% at site level and also improve energy efficiency in existing base station networks by up to 35- 40% at site level.

 

· Capabilities to develop innovative base station site solutions. Through the usage of alternative energy, these solar and wind-powered base stations enabling low-impact autonomous sites in areas outside the power grid reduce C02 emissions.

 

"The Indian telecom sector has the opportunity to play its part in helping the country address its energy shortfall and at the same time reduce its global carbon footprint. For example, an average operator with 4000 base station sites in rural area can save up to 43 GWh of energy per year (-70%), translating into 22000 tons less CO2 emission by using our industry leading GSM base stations, which consume the lowest power in the industry. This equals annual energy needs of about 4,000 households. In case of our WCDMA base-stations in a similar scenario, the savings are even more", said Michael Kuehner.

 

"The indirect contribution of the telecom sector can be even more significant. As per a WWF-ETNO study, if 30 million people filed their tax reports online, they could save upto 30 kilo tons of CO2 besides the inherent convenience. Similarly, 30 million tele-workers can save 34,000 kilo tons CO2 besides office rentals. Very recent SMART2020 study reveals ICT's pivotal role in monitoring, optimizing and managing domestic and industrial energy usage enabling possible savings nearly €600 billion in 2020", he added.

 

Nokia Siemens Networks places a very strong emphasis on an energy efficient and environmentally sustainable business. The company aims to connect the world in a way which will maximize the benefits that telecommunications can bring to people and businesses while minimizing the environmental footprint of its products and operations. The business model integrates environmental benefits with cost effectiveness for network operators. Energy consumption, related to the use of its products and e-waste, presents two of the biggest environmental concerns of the telecommunications industry today. By sparking thought and spurring discussions, the Energy Efficiency summit has put the spotlight on this issue, encouraging every player in the industry to facilitate a greener business. 

 

Sourced From: Text 100 Public Relations Consultancy