Can mobile technology help save the planet?

On the face of it, machine-to-machine (M2M) mobile technology seems like an unlikely candidate to help save the planet. But M2M's advocates say that it can play an important part in cutting carbon emissions by making company logistics more efficient and even cutting out business journeys altogether. Some even claim that it has a crucial role to play in monitoring climate change.

Mobile M2M basically means communication between machines equipped with mobile communications technology. Technology analyst firm Berg Insight says that 186m machines will be connected to networks by 2012, making up one to three per cent of mobile subscribers in developed markets. Two of the biggest applications for M2M are vehicle telematics and smart metering, and they can play a big role to play in helping companies cut their carbon emissions.

With vehicle telematics, a car or van is equipped with communications technology that allows it to exchange information through a mobile network. M2M can be used along with GPS in business environments to optimise fleet transport -- for instance it could send out the closest engineer to a fault that needs fixing or it could work out the most efficient routes for the whole fleet. The technology can also monitor engine idling and identify speeding drivers to help cut fuel consumption. Berg Insight says that around 1 million M2M units will be in use in European fleets by the end of this year.

Today, specialist fleet solutions that specifically target emissions are available from companies like GreenerFleet. The Energy Saving Trust also offers a green fleet consultancy to help companies choose the best solution. Both organisations have put together their top ten tips to a greener fleet, which include carrying out proper maintenance, analysing mileage patterns and using telematics.

The second promising M2M-driven carbon-saver, smart metering, or remote monitoring, basically does away with traditional meter-readers for utilities, saving millions of journeys. Automatic meter readers (AMRs) have been popular in European countries like Sweden and Finland, and Italian utility ENEL deployed 27m of them nationwide as far back as 2001. In the UK, however, the government's recent consultation stopped short of mandating that utilities deploy smart meters for domestic properties, and only saw the case for them in businesses.

It's a no-brainer, really. Smart metering helps businesses reduce their carbon footprint by supplying them with accurate information on their energy consumption. In large industrial complexes, businesses often don't know where their meters are and their billing is simply estimated. By having real-time feedback on their consumption, businesses are able to take action against energy spikes and anomalies.

From our perspective, M2M technology's main promise is that it can be used in other ways to benefit the environment. The very nature of mobile technology makes it incredibly useful at gathering information from any location, so unsurprisingly it has already sparked a range of innovative applications.

A Cambridge University project uses cycle couriers to help monitor pollution levels in Cambridge. The couriers' bikes have pollution sensors and GPS modules fitted that report pollution levels, like carbon monoxide concentration, directly back to the lab over their mobile phones. But it needn't stop with local projects. Consulting firm Beecham Research, for instance, has a grand vision of M2M's role in monitoring climate change, including wind and ocean currents, temperature and sea levels.

Climate change monitoring aside, M2M's role in cutting carbon emissions is all about eliminating unnecessary activity and making businesses more efficient. It shouldn't be a business' entire solution, however -- M2M needs to be part of an overall green strategy to make a real difference.

Related Links

• SmartPlanet