Major ICT companies join Commission initiative to reduce electricity consumption

29 Sep 2010 | News
Sixteen more ICT firms have signed up to the European Community’s voluntary code to reduce the electricity consumption of their equipment and data centres.
Science|Business Reporting


Sixteen more ICT firms have signed up to reduce the electricity consumption of their equipment and data centres, bringing to 52 the number of companies have agreed to cut consumption as part of the European Commission’s voluntary code to limit carbon dioxide emissions from the sector.

The code, adopted in May, aims to reduce electricity use and greenhouse gas emissions from the industry by 50 per cent. At present, ICT equipment and services consumes over 8 per cent of electricity in the EU, generating about 4 per cent of its CO2 emissions. It is forecast that without measures to constrain energy use, these figures would double by 2020.

The Commission’s Joint Research Centre manages the voluntary code of conduct. The new signatories were announced this week at the ICT 2010-Digitally Driven event.

R&D and Innovation Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said the success of the code shows the industry appreciates that energy efficiency is a commercial, economic and environmental priority. “It is a good example of the JRC's behind-the-scenes work to support the Europe 2020 Strategy,” she said.

The code of conduct is available from the JRC’s website http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/energyefficiency/html/standby_initiative_main.htm

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