Could IoT and reliable mobile coverage be the antidote to climate change?

Stuart Waine of Spry Fox Networks explains the key role of mobile connectivity in climate change initiatives and carbon reduction strategies.

In September 2020, in New York’s Union Square, the bright orange letters of the then new climate clock counted down the critical time window remaining for humanity to take action and save the world from climate chaos. To remain under 1.5°C warming and prevent the worst effects of climate change from becoming irreversible, society was warned it had only 7 years, 102 days, and counting to switch from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives to keep global emissions in check.

Two years down the line and carbon emissions are still rising and if we revisit the clock analogy, it currently stands at one minute to midnight less according to many scientists. Indeed, Antonio Guterres proclaimed in his COP27 opening speech that the global climate fight will be won or lost by the end of the decade. We’ve already seen first-hand evidence of what he described as “climate hell”. So far this year southern US States were hit by powerful winter storms leaving millions without electricity, in March Antarctica reported a heatwave, with temperatures some 70° higher than where they should be, this summer parts of the UK and mainland Europe reached temperatures in excess of 40°, and Pakistan has experienced super floods as a result of severe monsoons and melting glaciers.

Whilst geopolitical instability in Ukraine has exacerbated the situation by causing shortages in wholesale gas supplies and soaring energy prices, the conflict has also highlighted just how little progress the world has made in its transition to renewable energy sources. If we are serious about redressing climate change, the source, to a certain extent, is irrelevant. The world needs to consume less energy overall by:

1) Adopting energy saving measures

2) Ensuring existing energy systems are working optimally to avoid waste and unnecessary emissions

5G networks are driving IoT adoption

Amidst all the despair, advances in IoT are offering a glimmer of hope because by fortuitous timing its heyday has arrived and could be the silver bullet needed to address climate change challenges once and for all. Interconnected devices (the crux of IoT) empower both businesses and individuals to lower their carbon footprint by giving them an easy means to measure the effectiveness of their existing energy management systems and take decisive action in line. Embedded sensors can be used to monitor an array of factors, from temperature and humidity levels or total power usage, to assessing C02 and/or methane levels. According to the World Economic Forum, IoT technologies together with 5G connectivity offer the potential to reduce global carbon emissions by 15%.

Deploying IoT in commercial properties has historically been optional

IoT, however, is not a new technology. The concept has been around for the last 10 years with interconnected devices and applications prevalent in industry and consumables. Its true worth, however, is just coming to fruition thanks to 5G networks going mainstream and accelerations in AI innovation. Yet thus far a high proportion of businesses, public sector ones in particular, have been reluctant to harness the benefits of IoT because of the perceived upheaval, disruption to service, costs involved etc versus the perceived gains.

Installing IoT powered sensors in commercial premises has also historically been optional.

Now that the New Building Safety Act has come into force, proprietors of any mixed-use building must nominate someone to be responsible for harnessing data for due diligence. With these new safety new rules to abide by, together with soaring costs and the planned introduction of decarbonisation strategies, businesses adopting a “head in the sand” approach to the merits of IoT do so at their own peril.

Seamless mobile coverage is the underpinning enabler to IoT systems

A common misconception of any IoT deployment is the need for powerful Wi-Fi. The underpinning enabler to most IoT systems is cellular as it provides the trigger mechanism for device2device communication. Providing the levels of coverage needed in commercial buildings running IoT is challenging though because a mobile signal is weakened by default as soon as it is taken indoors. Materials such as reinforced concrete, galvanised steel, tinted glass iron girders, insulation foam etc also hinder the transmission of mobile phone signals, particularly 5G ones, yet this is next generation network fuelling the IoT phenomena.

The type of mobile coverage system needed depends on the organisation type and size

Larger organisations can overcome their signal challenges by implementing operator-connected DAS. Smaller businesses also need to address their energy usage, but they don’t have the same budgets or resources. The only way they can provide the levels of coverage needed is by taking the outside network indoors using supplementary equipment such as mobile repeaters.

Stuart Waine

Before even reaching the install phase, businesses must firstly assess the outdoor coverage situation as this will determine the type/number of repeaters needed and their configuration. This can be done by carrying out a mobile site survey but most of the readily available tools do not provide the hierarchical view needed. When deploying IoT, quality of service at device level is critical as this will depict the efficiency of the system and the reliability of the data captured.

Advances in IoT sensors and wireless connectivity along with augmented storage and data handling processes are clearly allowing businesses to adopt energy-efficient practices and use available resources more responsibly. But any IoT investment will be superfluous if the mobile coverage situation is not addressed at the same time. If we are to leverage the merits of IoT for the greater good of the planet, then reliable cellular connectivity must be incremental to any IoT deployment. If it isn’t then many investments will not be fit for purpose due to self-created mobile dead spots.

The author is Stuart Waine of Spry Fox Networks

Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @IoTNow_OR @jcIoTnow

RECENT ARTICLES

Get a US$50 Amazon voucher for sharing your IoT brand knowledge

Posted on: March 28, 2024

We want to know what you know about the IoT space. Just 3 minutes could earn you a US$50 Amazon digital gift card!

Read more

Enhance EV charging performance with cellular connectivity

Posted on: March 28, 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily growing their market share at the expense of internal combustion engine vehicles. The growth is fuelled by several factors. Perhaps most importantly, prices for EVs have started to drop as competition in the industry is intensifying. New players and models are emerging, prompting several established EV makers to lower their

Read more
FEATURED IoT STORIES

What is IoT? A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on: April 5, 2023

What is IoT? IoT, or the Internet of Things, refers to the connection of everyday objects, or “things,” to the internet, allowing them to collect, transmit, and share data. This interconnected network of devices transforms previously “dumb” objects, such as toasters or security cameras, into smart devices that can interact with each other and their

Read more

The IoT Adoption Boom – Everything You Need to Know

Posted on: September 28, 2022

In an age when we seem to go through technology boom after technology boom, it’s hard to imagine one sticking out. However, IoT adoption, or the Internet of Things adoption, is leading the charge to dominate the next decade’s discussion around business IT. Below, we’ll discuss the current boom, what’s driving it, where it’s going,

Read more

9 IoT applications that will change everything

Posted on: September 1, 2021

Whether you are a future-minded CEO, tech-driven CEO or IT leader, you’ve come across the term IoT before. It’s often used alongside superlatives regarding how it will revolutionize the way you work, play, and live. But is it just another buzzword, or is it the as-promised technological holy grail? The truth is that Internet of

Read more

Which IoT Platform 2021? IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide

Posted on: August 30, 2021

There are several different parts in a complete IoT solution, all of which must work together to get the result needed, write IoT Now Enterprise Buyers’ Guide – Which IoT Platform 2021? authors Robin Duke-Woolley, the CEO and Bill Ingle, a senior analyst, at Beecham Research. Figure 1 shows these parts and, although not all

Read more

CAT-M1 vs NB-IoT – examining the real differences

Posted on: June 21, 2021

As industry players look to provide the next generation of IoT connectivity, two different standards have emerged under release 13 of 3GPP – CAT-M1 and NB-IoT.

Read more

IoT and home automation: What does the future hold?

Posted on: June 10, 2020

Once a dream, home automation using iot is slowly but steadily becoming a part of daily lives around the world. In fact, it is believed that the global market for smart home automation will reach $40 billion by 2020.

Read more

5 challenges still facing the Internet of Things

Posted on: June 3, 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly become a huge part of how people live, communicate and do business. All around the world, web-enabled devices are turning our world into a more switched-on place to live.

Read more