Update on the Carbon Impacts of
ITU Radiocommunication Sector
Alexandre VASSILIEV
ITU, Radiocommunication Bureau (BR)
Radiocommunication Study Group Counsellor
BR Focal Point on Radiocommunications and
Climate Change
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
Radio and Minimizing CO2 Emissions
Main directions/activities:
Monitoring Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions - Radio-based
devices called remote sensors are the main tool for the global
monitoring of carbon dioxide emissions.
Minimizing CO2 emissions from radio equipment/systems - The use
of advanced technologies, such as modern chips, coding and
compression technic, digital modulation allowed significantly
reduce power consumption per unit for almost all radio applications.
The use of radio-based devices/systems for reduction in other
sectors - Wireless devices, such as mobile phones are currently the
most common way of communications, which significantly reduce
commuting and travelling. Radio, in many cases, is the most
economically valuable solution of the “last mile” problem.
“Dematerialization” through the use of radio equipment/systems –
The use of radio technologies, for example satellite systems, paves
the way for Internet access from remote areas and allows to apply
paperless working methods, switch from physical distribution DVDs
and CDs to online delivery.
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ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
Radio and Environment Information
Most of people think that the radio frequencies are
used for radiocommunications. However, radio emissions
are also used for obtaining information about the
environment with which they have been in contact.
In the radio frequency spectrum a limited number of
frequencies are suited, due to the physical phenomena,
for extracting the environmental information.
Environmental information, including climate
monitoring data, is currently being obtained by special
measuring instruments called remote sensors.
Remote sensors (passive and active) are radio devices,
that derive environmental information by analyzing the
characteristics of received radio waves.
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Remote Sensing in Environment Monitoring
Space-based remote sensors are the only tools that
provide environmental data on a long term,
repetitive and global scale.
Radiocommunication systems based on remote sensing
play the major role in monitoring of environment,
including greenhouse gases emissions, and weather
forecasting.
Remote sensing is the essential tool for disaster
prediction, detection, disaster mitigation and
planning of relief operations.
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
launched the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite
"IBUKI" (GOSAT) on January 23, 2009.
The data have been
acquired by the onboard
Sensor - the Thermal And
Near infrared Sensor for
carbon ObservationFourier Transform
Spectrometer
(TANSO-FTS).
Source: http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/en/imgdata/topics/2009/tp090319.html
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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GOSAT Objectives Related to
Environment Monitoring
GOSAT has three major mission objectives:
• to monitor the density of greenhouse gases precisely
and frequently worldwide;
• to study the absorption and emission levels of
greenhouse gases per continent or large country over
a certain period of time (tool for Kyoto protocol
implementation control);
• to develop and establish advanced technologies that
are essential for precise greenhouse-gas observations.
Current ground observation points:
about 260 (see on the left)
GOSAT's observation points: 56000
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ITU-R and Environment Monitoring
As the steward of the global framework for spectrum,
ITU-R:
through World Radiocommunication Conferences
(WRC) allocates the radio-frequency spectrum;
carries out studies and develops
radiocommunication standards:
 treaty status Radio Regulations– 4 volumes;
 voluntary standards (ITU-R Recommendations –
particularly in ITU-R Study Group 7 (Science
services));
to foster the operation without interference of radiobased applications and radiocommunication
systems used for environment monitoring,
including greenhouse gases monitoring, weather
forecasting, disaster prediction, detection and
mitigation of negative effect of disasters.
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ITU-R Recent Decisions and Publication
Related to Monitoring
- WRC-07 and Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-07) adopted a
number of Resolutions on studies related to remote-sensing,
which is a vital component in the science of climate change.
- ITU-R Recommendations on radiocommunication systems and
radio-based applications operating in Earth-exploration satellite,
meteorological-aids and meteorological satellite services, today
provide most of data for the Global Observing System (GOS) and
Global Climate Observing System (GCOS).
- ITU-R Study Group 7 (Science services) in cooperation with the
World Meteorological Organization produced WMO and ITU
Handbook on Use of Radio spectrum for meteorology: weather,
water and climate monitoring and prediction providing
information on development and a proper use
radiocommunication systems and radio-based technologies for
environment observation, climate control, weather forecasting
and natural and man-made disaster prediction, detection and
mitigation. – It is the first handbook in the ITU history signed by
the Secretary-Generals of two UN Agencies.
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ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
Radio-based Devices and CO2 Emissions
It seems that radio-based devices are the most used
telecommunication devices. According to the recent
statistics there are currently in use:
• more than 4 billions mobile phones;
• ~ 2.5 billions radios;
• ~1.5 billions TV sets;
• plus many set-top boxes, Wi-Fi cards, powerful
broadcasting transmitters, etc.
Source: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/idi/2009/index.html and
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/med_tel-media-televisions
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Source: Kumar, Rakesh and Mieritz, Lars (2007)
“Conceptualizing “Green IT” and data centre
power and cooling issues”
2-2.5 % ICT global CO2 emissions from ICTs –
Is everything included?
The ICT Sector itself
(excluding the
broadcasting sector)
contributes between
2-2.5 per cent of GHG.
Emissions from most radio devices (TV sets, broadcasting transmitters,
etc.) except mobile phones are not taken into account. Are they
significant? Let’s try calculate…
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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TV and Set Top Box Energy Consumption
Usage
Per use
Cost per
year
kg CO2
per year
Primary TV – CRT
(Cathode Ray Tube)
34-37 inch
On Power 6.5 hours a day
198.5 W
£47.09
203
Standby 17.5 hours a day
4.2 W
£2.68
12
Primary TV – LCD 3437 inch
On Power 6.5 hours a day
211.1 W
£50.08
215
Standby 17.5 hours a day
1.8 W
£1.15
5
Primary TV - Plasma
34-37 inch
On Power 6.5 hours a day
263.9 W
£62.61
269
Standby 17.5 hours a day
3.6 W
£2.30
10
Primary TV – Rear
projection
34-37 inch
On Power 6.5 hours a day
192.3 W
£45.62
196
Standby 17.5 hours a day
2.0 W
£1.28
5
Digital TV Adapter,
Terrestrial
On Power 6.5 hours a day
7.1W
£1.68
7
Standby 17.5 hours a day
6.4 W
£4.09
18
Digital TV Adapter,
Terrestrial – Recorder
On Power 6.5 hours a day
17.6 W
£4.18
18
Standby 17.5 hours a day
11.3 W
£7.22
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/energyconsumption.html
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Appliance
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ICT Average Power Consumption
Power consumption compared
TVs:
Average plasma: 339 watts
Average rear-projection: 211 watts
Average LCD: 213 watts
Other AV gear (for comparison only):
PlayStation 3: 197 watts
Xbox 360: 187 watts
Average PC: 78 watts
DirecTV HR20 DVR: 33 watts
Nintendo Wii: 19 watts
Slingbox: 9 watts
Wireless router: 7 watts
Source: CNET Reviews at: http://reviews.cnet.com/45206475_7-6400401-2.html
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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U.S. Department of Energy Statistics
Now, it’s no secret that one result of the flat-screen revolution
is to make larger screen sizes practical. That 30-inch analog
set of 2006 is likely to be replaced with an LCD-TV
measuring 40 or 42 inches and consuming 200 to 250 watts.
TV energy consumption is rising sharply because the average
screen size is rising sharply. Energy Star, a joint program of
the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy, says 10% of
residential consumer electrical energy consumption is now
used by TV sets. (At about 10 cents per KW-hr that would be
over $5 Billion in retail power costs!).
Source:
http://www.lcdtvassociation.org/images/TV_Power_Consu
mption_White_Paper_LCD_TV_Association.pdf
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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How Much Time Spent With Media?
Average Hours Per Week – All People 14+
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia Jan 2008 – Dec 2008. Representative sample of
20,865 Australians (at: http://www.freetv.com.au/media/NewsMedia_Release/Tv_Tops_Media_Consumption_050309.pdf )
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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TV Sets Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Based on previous slides optimistic estimation could be
done using the following values:
TV set power consumption: 0.21 kW (without standby
consumption);
On power usage: 6.5 hours a day (based on UK
statistics see slide 11).
Then power average:
P=0.21×1 500 000 000×6.5/24=85 312 500 kW
Using a coefficient 0.4 kG per 1 kW/hour from a draft
Deliverable 1 and calculating for 365 days and 24
hours:
85 312 500×365×24×0.4=298935000000 Kg CO2
298.9 million tonnes carbon dioxide!
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ICT Footprint in 2007
Report “SMART 2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in
the information age” states:
“In 2007, the total footprint of the ICT sector – including
personal computers (PCs) and peripherals, telecoms
networks and devices and data centres – was 830
MtCO2e, about 2% of the estimated total emissions from
human activity released that year.”
Compare with the a very optimistic figure related to TV sets
emissions: 298.9 million tonnes CO2 per year!!!
What about set-top boxes, radios, DVDs, VCRs, powerful
transmitters???
Source:
http://www.theclimategroup.org/assets/resources/publications/Smart2020Report
.pdf
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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European Commission Estimates
That probably explains why the European Commission
uses different value for ICTs:
“ICTs are now embedded in almost all parts of the
European economy. As a result of its own success, use
of ICT products and services represents about 7.8%
of electricity consumption in the EU and may grow to
10.5% by 2020.”
Source: http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2009:0111:FIN:EN:DOC.
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Minimizing CO2 Emissions Introducing New Technologies
An impressive example in this area is a digital broadcasting
Plan GE06 developed by Regional Radiocommunication
Conference 2006 for 120 countries.
GE06 Plan envisages:
 reduction (by almost 10 times) in transmitter power due to
the use of digital modulation. There are hundreds of
thousands of transmitters around the world with power of up
to 100-150 kW each. The resulting energy saving is very
significant;
 possible reduction number of transmitters due to the
transmitting up to 10 TV programmes in one 8 MHz channel
instead of 1 TV programme per channel.
GE06 Plan is based on ITU-R and ITU-T standards (ITU-R
and ITU-T Recommendations).
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Minimizing CO2 Emissions – Standardization
Regulations (samples)
• IEC 62087 standard - the world's International
standard for measuring the energy efficiency of the
latest generation of plasma and LCD televisions and
other devices such as cable set-top boxes;
• European Commission submitted to EU Parliament a
report “on mobilising Information and
Communication Technologies to facilitate the
transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy”
expecting to reap from EU legislation on smart
technologies including radio technologies to
tackle climate change (see at:
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sustainable_growt
h/docs/com_2009_111/com2009-111-en.pdf).
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Minimizing TV CO2 Emissions - Labeling
Labeling environment-friendly TVs is another way of
minimizing emissions. Some samples:
Energy Star programme:
• based on IEC 62087 standard;
• sets thresholds that would permit about 25% of the
TVs on the market to receive the Energy Star label.
LCD TV Association “Green TV” programme:
• based on IEC 62087 standard;
• sets the energy consumption thresholds of TV sets,
regardless of technology;
• requires incorporation of advanced features such as
ambient light sensors and boosting efficiency;
• takes account number of recyclable parts.
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ITU-R Activities in Minimizing Power
Consumption
The World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs)
facilitate the use of less power hungry radio
technologies by incorporating the most efficient ones
in the Radio Regulations – international treaty status
standard.
WRCs also abolish the use of outdated radio-based
applications and systems on international level.
ITU-R Study Groups carries out analyses and approve
ITU-R Recommendation allowing the use of the most
environment-friendly methods, applications and
systems.
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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“Dematerialization” and Radio
In terms of technologies for reducing carbon emission, the
use of radiocommunications as a part of
telecommunication infrastructure provides means for:
• reducing business travels by “virtual presence”
(teleconferences) and working at home using remote
access tools;
• online publications of documents;
• use Internet and specifically IPTV instead of
DVDs/CDs;
• using e-commerce to reduce shopping trips;
• online billing (to save on paper bills), etc.
However, radio, in certain extend, is the next step in
dematerialization – it “dematerializes” wires.
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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“Dematerialization” and Remote Wireless
Collaboration
The work of ITU-R Study Groups 4, 5 and 6, on
multimedia, is of particular importance, notably in
terms of standards for remote wireless collaboration,
such as the BO, M, S Series of ITU-R
Recommendations on wireless audiovisual and
multimedia systems, including video-conferencing,
which provides means for people to collaborate/work
at a distance without needing to travel (ITU-T’s also
develops Recommendations on multimedia).
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Climate Neutral ITU – Radiocommunication
Sector Role (1)
ITU-R and its predecessor IFRB were pioneers in the ITU
applying the relevant practices since 80-th. Few examples:
voluminous ITU-R service publications, distributed to all ITU-R
Member States on weekly bases, are published on DVD and
Internet, that significantly reduced the amount of paper (1 space
networks data – up to 1000 pages), consumed by BR;
WRCs, that are the biggest ITU forums, are switching to paperless
methods of work and significantly reducing number of paper
copies distributing to delegates. Reduction of paper copies of
conference documents at the last World Radiocommunication
Conference 2007 (WRC-07), which was attended by more than
2800 participants, saved several millions pages of paper;
WRC-07 decided to publish series of maritime Service
Publications in electronic form from 2011 (Res. 335 (WRC-07)).
That will save about 300 tons of paper per year and reduce the
carbon emissions from transporting paper copies;
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Climate Neutral ITU – Radiocommunication
Sector Role (2)
Resolution 906 (WRC-07) is completing ITU-R switching from
paper to electronic submission of information on radio
frequency assignments/allotments. As the result millions pages
of paper are saved (in the past a notice with data related to one
satellite network could require more than 1 thousand pages).
BR devotes significant efforts for development of tools for
electronic access (through Internet) to frequency
assignment/allotment data in the Master International
Frequency Register (MIFR), that contains billions of data
elements. These tools allow not only provide very quick access
to these data, but also significantly reduce amount of
publications on physical mediums;
in order to facilitate the use of ICT for submission of data to BR
and access to ITU-R databases/documents, BR, through
seminars and workshops (World and regional), provides
training for the staff from administrations and other involved
organizations. .
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Supplementary Slides/
Information
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Radiocommunication Study Groups
Res. ITU-R 4-5 of Radiocommunication Assembly 2007:
decided to establish 6 ITU-R Study Groups:
SG 1:
SG 3:
SG 4:
SG 5:
SG 6:
SG 7:
Spectrum management
Radiowave propagation
Satellite services
Terrestrial services
Broadcasting service
Science services
In addition:
CCV: Coordination Committee for
Vocabulary
CPM: Conference Preparatory Meeting
SC: Special Committee on regulatory
and procedural matters
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/rsg
 >900 Recommendations
 “Standards” in areas of
spectrum management
and radio technology
 Result of consensus from
meetings of world-wide
experts
 Some referred to in RR
 Used by spectrum
planners and system
designers
Supported by Counsellors and
Assistants in Study Group
Department of BR
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ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
Application of ITU-R Standards
The best samples:
• Radio Regulations – applied by all countries around
the World for international spectrum management;
• ITU-R Regional Agreements – applied by all country
parties of a given agreement (some countries are
parties of several Agreements/Plans);
• ITU-R M-Series Rec. – e.g. for land mobile service:
there are currently > 4 billions customers (more than
50% people on the Earth) using mobile phones built
in accordance with ITU-R Rec.;
• ITU-R BT&BR-Series Rec. – used for broadcasting
(TV and sound). There are more than 1.5 billions TV
sets based on ITU-R standards;
• ITU-R standards for the use of radiocommunication
services/systems for emergency situations;
• etc..
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ITU-R Publications
• BR International Frequency
Information Circular (IFIC) –
terrestrial and space services
• Space Radiocommunication Stations
on DVD-ROM
• Radio Regulations
• electronic file (WinWord, PDF)
• CD-ROM
• paper
• Service documents
• ITU-R Recommendations
 online subscriptions
 CD-ROM
 paper
• Handbooks, etc.
http://www.itu.int/publications
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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ITU-R Recommendation series
BO:
BR:
BS:
BT:
F:
M:
P:
RA:
RS:
S:
SA:
SF:
SM:
SNG:
TF:
V:
Satellite delivery
Recording for production, archival and play-out; film for
television
Broadcasting service (sound)
Broadcasting service (television)
Fixed service
Mobile, radiodetermination, amateur and related satellite
services
Radiowave propagation
Radio astronomy
Remote sensing systems
Fixed-satellite service
Space applications and meteorology
Frequency sharing and coordination between fixed-satellite
and fixed service systems
Spectrum management
Satellite news gathering
Time signals and frequency standards emissions
Vocabulary and related subjects
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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Some ITU-R Web Pages
Main ITU-R Web page:
 http://www.itu.int/ITU-R
Terrestrial Services: http://www.itu.int/ITUR/terrestrial
Space Services: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/space
Study Groups: http://www.itu.int/ITUR/index.asp?category=studygroups&rlink=rsg&lang=en
ITU-R Publications:
http://www.itu.int/publications/sector.aspx?sector
=1&lang=en
ITU-T Focus Group “ICTs and Climate Change” (ICT&CC) Meeting, Hiroshima, Japan, 24-27 March 2009
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