Digital lifestyle could reduce energy use by 20% by 2050
The shift to more people working from home, for instance, reduces petrol consumption as commuting decreases. However, it increases household energy use for heating and cooking. Additionally, the energy demand for video calls in data centres rises.
Keystone / Christian Beutler
Select your language
Generated with artificial intelligence.
Listening: Digital lifestyle could reduce energy use by 20% by 2050
The digitalisation of everyday life could lead to a 10% to 20% reduction in energy consumption by 2050 compared to 2020, according to a study by researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the federal technology institute ETH Zurich. The study's calculations were based on an energy system model that also considered socio-ecological factors.
The PSI, based in Villigen, announced on Wednesday that savings achieved in one area, which might lead to increased consumption elsewhere, are more than offset by improved technology and changes in behaviour. While digitalisation does not solve all energy-related problems, it supports the transformation towards a net-zero emissions energy system, providing significant benefits for this transition.
The shift to more people working from home, for instance, reduces petrol consumption as commuting decreases. However, it increases household energy use for heating and cooking. Additionally, the energy demand for video calls in data centres rises. Despite these challenges, the study suggests that digitalisation, often referred to as a “digital lifestyle,” is a crucial factor in reducing overall energy consumption.
The researchers employed one of Europe’s most comprehensive energy system models, incorporating six million equations with six million variables to represent the Swiss energy system and the interactions between various technologies, energy and emission sources, and sectors.
Translated from German by DeepL/amva
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, if you want to learn more about how we use technology, click here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.