Bell Labs launches network energy consumption initiative

Bell Labs says ICT networks produce CO2 emissions equivalent to 50 million cars

Alcatel-Lucent research arm Bell Labs has announced the launch of GreenTouch, a global consortium that aims to create network technologies that are 1,000 times more efficient than those currently available.

Bell Labs said of the target: "It is roughly equivalent to being able to power the world’s communications networks, including the internet, for three years using the same amount of energy that it currently takes to run them for a single day."

Bell Labs is also issuing an open invitation to all members of the information and communication technology (ICT) community to join forces in reaching this ambitious target.

Gee Rittenhouse, head of research at Bell Labs, said: "Global ICT networks use the energy equivalent of 300 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. That is equivalent to the emissions of 50 million cars, or 20 per cent of the number of cars registered in the US."

Ed Miliband, secretary of state for energy and climate change, said he welcomed the industry coming together with academia to create the research, technology and solutions necessary to reduce carbon emissions.

"The ICT sector is perfectly placed to bring its innovative and technological forces to bear in the low-carbon transition as well as in curbing its own carbon footprint," added Miliband.

There are 15 founding members of the GreenTouch organisation, including telecoms giant AT&T, and other large technology concerns Bell Labs, China Mobile, Telefonica, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Research Laboratory for Electronics, and Samsung's Advanced Institute of Technology.

British Telecom is not one of the 15 founding members of GreenTouch, but says it will do what it can to support the initiative.