Last week, I came across a new report from Down Under confirming some of our own findings about the ways that broadband technology can help reduce carbon emissions.

Because of its dependence on coal-generated power, Australia has the highest emission per capita of any OECD country, according to the report from Telstra, a leading Australian telecom company.

Telecommunications networks can help Australia jump up the OECD queue by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by almost five per cent by 2015, delivering up to $6.6 billion a year in cost savings for Australian businesses and households, according to the report.

Telstra’s findings are similar to those of a recent ACI report that I discussed in my November 1 posting. The Australian study is especially noteworthy when it comes to talking about how people can reduce energy use through remote power monitoring. 

With presence-based power in intelligent buildings, for example, electrical appliances would go to sleep when no humans are around to use them. About 15% of energy use in Australia goes to waste this way, according to Telstra. A typical plasma TV, for example, uses as much energy as an electric heater even when no one is watching it.

Presence-based power is intriguing because it uses smart technology to “automate” more efficient consumption of electricity by a mass market. 

More people are becoming aware of the promising ways in which information and communications technology can contribute to the challenges of climate change and energy use.  Dialogue, research and the sharing of ideas about ways that broadband can reduce our collective carbon footprint should continue and should expand.