Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is crucial for businesses to operate effectively, and the number of internet-connected devices in use is predicted to be more than three times the global population by 2022. ICT is an energy-intensive sector, with the International Energy Agency finding that data centres and data transmission networks already currently account for 2% of global electricity demand.
Many ICT companies are identifying ways to manage their power consumption, including more energy efficient computing chips and server virtualisation. For non-ICT companies, ICT can be used to save time, money, and carbon emissions through reducing the need for travel through video and audio conferencing for business meetings and allowing employees to work from home. ICT can also be used to make supply chains and manufacturing processes more efficient through generating and collecting data to identify weaknesses and opportunities for improvement.