The industrial decarbonization challenge

The share of renewable energy is rising and forecast to account for 65 percent of global power needs by 2030. Managing this will require a more flexible and efficient energy distribution system that can accommodate a wider variety of energy production sites, handle bi-directional energy distribution, and support more advanced grid protection methods.

High performance 5G – with the ability to harness machine learning and AI – can underpin this transition to smart, data-driven grids, further securing energy distribution and keeping critical energy infrastructure online. 

Transport is responsible for approximately one quarter of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. As a major contributor, the ongoing electrification of road freight sectors can facilitate significant emissions reductions.

Mobile connectivity is a key enabler of this transition, enabling reliable data streams that connect sensors and charging points, maximizing vehicle and fleet efficiency. Emerging autonomous vehicles are also expected to radically transform the sector in coming years.

Shipping is responsible for about 2.9 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the risk it could rise to 10 percent by 2050 if the current trajectory continues. Digitalization through private 5G will be key to decarbonizing port operations in coming years.

Today’s advanced port use cases include AI-based processing of massive real-time data monitoring from smart sensors, 3D LIDARs and WDR cameras to improve and optimize operations. Digital twin technologies also feature prominently, enabling control staff to immerse themselves in a virtual replica of the port environment, safely interacting and managing functions through XR interfaces.  With systems, vehicles and devices fully connected, entire operational processes can also be fully automated.

The combination of renewable energy sources, together with connected, low-carbon, and autonomous battery-electric solutions will be decisive in reducing operational emissions of mining sectors, currently accounting for 1 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

A pervasive 5G wireless infrastructure is the cornerstone that can enable this transition through innovative use cases such as autonomous vehicles, environmental monitoring, geofencing, and massive data collection. This presents the transformative potential to enhance safety, optimize machine efficiency and agility, and allow for remote operations and maintenance.  

Manufacturing accounts for 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with energy-intensive processes and global supply chains presenting key challenges, in addition to resource optimization,waste reduction, and operational safety.

By enabling agile, automated, and efficient production operations, private 5G lays a credible pathway for viable, scalable decarbonization of one of the world’s most pollutant industries.

Building operations account for 26 percent of global energy related emissions, comprising both direct emissions from buildings themselves and indirect emissions from energy production. The integration of wireless technologies into building management systems is transforming buildings into data-driven spaces, optimizing energy use and enabling predictive maintenance through IoT sensors, AI and more. Combined with a continued strong policy focus on building energy codes, this can enable significant emissions reductions required across the sector in coming years.

Agriculture and nature-based solutions

Agricultural sectors account for around 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, rising to 23 percent when forestry and land-use changes are added. Supported by connected technologies such as remote real-time monitoring, nature-based agroforestry solutions can contribute up to 30 percent of climate mitigation needed by 2050. When rolled out across agricultural sectors, connectivity-based solutions can also provide a vital boost to local farming communities, creating a more equitable marketplace and reducing farmland degradation through precision agriculture.