lift 2016 - lorenz hilty's talk
TRANSCRIPT
How to Align the Digital with the Ecological Transition
Lorenz HiltyUniversity of Zurich, Switzerland
Empa Materials Science and Technology, Switzerland
AnalogDigital
UnsustainableSustainable
Image Source: Megan Hollis,Techsys Digital (TD) Blog, 2015
The rate of global material extraction is increasing
Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organization: Green Growth: From labor to resource productivity. Best practice examples, initiatives and policy options. 2013
+89% Metals
+60% Fossil Fuels
+133% Minerals
+35% Biomass (Food, Wood, …)
≈ 10 tons per person year; problematic: scarce metals, fossil fuels, fertilizer minerals, parts of biomass
We need dematerialization
Dematerialization
In production: Create more value with less material resource inputClose material loops.= increase resource productivity
In consumption: Be happy with less heavy stuff.Slow down.
Digital ICT could be the perfect enabler ofdematerialization,
but it isn’t
because we are using this technology the wrong way.
Arguments:1. Despite Moore’s Law, we are using more
and more material for ICT hardware.2. Despite Koomey’s Law, we are using more
and more energy for ICT services.3. Despite increasing service-sector outputs,
total material requirements are not decreasing.
Arguments:1. Despite Moore’s Law, we are using more
and more material for ICT hardware.2. Despite Koomey’s Law, we are using more
and more energy for ICT services.3. Despite increasing service-sector outputs,
total material requirements are not decreasing.
2011
Intel 4004
2300 (2.3*103)transistors on one chip
Intel CORE i7 3960X
2.27 Billion (2.3*109)transistors on one chip
1971
ICT hardware is dematerializing – a success story
In only 40 years, the number of transistors on a microchip has increased by a factor of one million.
The macro-level effect of micro-level dematerialization
Example:Development of mobile phone use in Switzerland 1990-2003
Source: Hilty L.M., Behrendt S., Binswanger M., Bruinink A., Erdmann L., Froehlich J., Köhler A., Kuster N., Som C., Wuertenberger F. (2005): The Precautionary Principle in the Information Society – Effects of Pervasive Computing on Health and Environment. Swiss Center for Technology Assessment (TA-SWISS), Bern, p. 187
Total physical mass [tons]
Physical mass per phone [g]
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 20030
1
2
3
4
5
6
Num
ber o
f use
rs [M
io.]
Half of the periodic table is included in ICT hardware
Chemical elements usedto build digital electronic devices
Mining activities for scarce metals are increasing
Mining under poor working conditions Informal recycling: a form of urban mining
Short service life of “clean” devices
Example:Informal recycling in in Delhi, India
Source: Empa, Technology and Society Laboratory
Manual extraction of copper from printed wiring boards in Delhi, India. Typical backyard company with 12 workers. Yield: 1-2 tons/month
Source: Empa, Technology and Society Laboratory
Example:Informal recycling in in Guiyu, China
Source: Empa, Technology and Society Laboratory
Example:Semi-formal recycling in in Cape Town, South Africa
Source: Empa, Technology and Society Laboratory
Arguments:1. Despite Moore’s Law, we are using more
and more material for ICT hardware.2. Despite Koomey’s Law, we are using more
and more energy for ICT services.3. Despite increasing service-sector outputs,
total material requirements are not decreasing.
ICT hardware is “de-energizing”– another success story
In 70 years of electronic computing history, the energy efficiency of processors has increased by a factor of a million millions.
Thousand
Million
Billion
Trillion
Quadrillion
How many computations can a processor execute for 1 kWh?
Source: Koomey, J., Berard, S., Sanchez, M. & Wong, H. (2011): Implications of Historical Trends in the Electrical Efficiency of Computing. Annals of the History of Computing, IEEE, 33 (3): 46-54
K
oomey
’s Law
For my first laptop from the 1980ies, if it had to perform like my today’s laptop, I would have needed a “personal power plant”.
Illustration of energy efficiency progress
More than 100 kWh per year and person for ICT since 2007
Source: Aebischer, B., Hilty, L.M. (2015):The Energy Demand of ICT: A Historical Perspective and Current Methodological Challenges. In: ICT Innovations for Sustainability. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing. Springer, pp. 71-103
Global energy demand of ICT is increasing fast, despite the increasing energy efficiency of all devices involved.
Arguments:1. Despite Moore’s Law, we are using more
and more material for ICT hardware.2. Despite Koomey’s Law, we are using more
and more energy for ICT services.3. Despite increasing service-sector outputs,
total material requirements are not decreasing.
1. AgricultureForestry,Fishing,Mining
2. Manufacturing
3. Services
4. InformationServices
C. Clark’s theory of progression to a post-industrial economy
Will deindustrialization lead to demateralization?
Countries with highest service sector output
United St
atesJapan
United Kingdom
Italy
CanadaRussi
a
Australia
Mexico
Turkey
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
Service sector output in Billion US-$
United St
atesJapan
United Kingdom
Italy
CanadaRussi
a
Australia
Mexico
Turkey
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
Service sector output in Billion US-$Per capita service sector output in US-$
40 tons of material resources are extracted per person, of which 67% outside our country.
23
Example: TMR of Switzerland
40 tons per person are ≈ factor 4 above the global average
AnalogDigital
UnsustainableSustainable
Image Source: Megan Hollis,Techsys Digital (TD) Blog, 2015
What would it mean to use ICT the right way?
How would we use ICT in a world of scarce natural resources?(We live in such a world but are not aware of the scarcity)
How would we use ICT if prices of all products would tell the truth about resource depletion, pollution, land use change,
occupational health/labor conditions, and other externalities?
Vision 1: Self-sufficient communications infrastructure
With further progress in energy efficiency of ICT and energy harvesting devices, it could be possible to create a self-sufficient communications infrastructure with long-lasting small nodes needing no external energy supply.
Precursors: Energy harvesting network nodes, ad-hoc wireless network protocols
Vision 2: Collaboration in virtual environments replaces travel
Physical travel with high carbon intensity
Virtual meetings:Connecting people via ICT
Collaboration in virtual environments
Source: Coroama, V.C., Moberg, Å., Hilty, L.M. (2015): Dematerialization through Electronic Media? In: ICT Innovations for Sustainability. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing. Springer, 405-421
Vision 3: Recycling robots powered by abundant renewable energy
The Flintstones’ garbage disposal pig
Artificial Intelligence version of recycling device, working only during electricity supply peaks (store energy as material purity)
digitize
Image Source: Megan Hollis,Techsys Digital (TD) Blog, 2015
What’s your vision of dematerialization?
Thank you!