IoT for sustainability

We make the IoT work - for a greener future.

We think: YES!

Equipped with reliable intelligent semiconductor technology such as sensors, microcontrollers, connectivity and security solutions, smart IoT devices and applications in smart homes and buildings or in smart factories make it possible to save resources, energy and costs. And thus reduce CO2 emissions. For a greener future.

But we also think: It can only work hand in hand. Together.

It is important that we humans make our contribution. Supported by technological progress, we can manage to counteract climate change. This starts in the private sphere - in a smart home, for example - where connected devices equipped with smart technologies not only can increase convenience and comfort, but can also reduce energy consumption ... and so, reduce the electricity bill. In addition to the private sphere, of course, smart technologies in public spaces and in companies have enormous potential to contribute to environmental protection and resource conservation.

Let's get on with it! As the market leader for IoT systems, we are driving the green and digital transition towards a net-zero economy. Together with you!

The IoT can support us master the challenges of urban development.

According to the United Nations the population is going to surpass 9 billion by 2050. By then more than 70% of the population will live in cities. Urbanization, climate change and demographic change are forcing cities to make infrastructure more efficient. Infineon’s energy-efficient technologies, microcontrollers, sensors, communication and security products can help to master the challenges of urban development now and in the future.

Further digitalization is helping us to use energy and resources responsibly.

Digital transformation and with it the IoT is changing the way we live, work, produce, travel, and consume. With our smart IoT devices and systems solutions, we link the real and the digital world, and play a key role in unleashing the full potential of digitalization. By enabling energy-efficiency for homes, buildings, cities, factories, and more, we are driving the green and digital transformation towards a net zero economy.

Smart IoT technologies can save energy - and costs

Digital tools and platforms can facilitate and accelerate the energy transition by promoting efficiency and flexibility on the energy demand side. At the same time, they help consumers to better understand their energy consumption and reduce their bills.

Today's energy shortages make it more important than ever to use energy wisely. With our smart semiconductor solutions we enable IoT solutions and devices that help consume less energy in our daily activities – both, in private and industrial context. To reduce our energy bills AND our environmental footprint.

High energy costs call for clever ways to save energy and money. Smart semiconductor solutions help make homes, buildings and factories energy efficient to reduce energy costs. From smart air conditioning to the installation of connected solar panels and charging stations, we have the right hard- and software to enable these IoT devices.

Harnessing the power of IoT for sustainability
The development and use of the IoT has a sustainability footprint. The manufacturing of new IoT technologies will increase global electricity use by 34 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030, according to a report from Transforma Insights and 6GWorld. But: These IoT solutions will also reduce electricity consumption by more than 1.6 petawatt-hours (PWh), enough electricity to support more than 136.5 million homes’ energy use for one year. ( Source: IoTnews)

Equipment that isn't working correctly can drive up energy costs. IoT solutions help to reduce maintenance and operating costs by using advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to predict device failures before they occur or anticipate maintenance needs before they become urgent. To do this, they use the data collected by special sensors, evaluate it automatically and trigger further actions such as automatic updates or notifications to the workshop. This not only saves energy, but also extends the service life of the devices, as they can be repaired before they fail.

Energy is often wasted for no reason: Lights are left on in empty rooms, air conditioning systems run unnecessarily, heaters run while windows are open. Even in warehouses, large factory buildings, etc., large amounts of energy are often consumed unnecessarily. Presence detection can help here: Special sensors detect the presence of people and automatically cause the lights, heaters or air conditioning systems to be turned down. This can drastically reduce electricity consumption - often accompanied by a gain in quality and comfort through automation.

Improved control of energy consumption in private and public buildings as well as in plants, factories, etc. can significantly reduce energy waste: IoT-based energy management systems use real-time power consumption data to optimize power consumption, dynamically switch to more cost- and resource-efficient controls and develop an effective and sustainable energy consumption strategy based on usage patterns. This reduces CO2 emissions and has a positive impact on the environment.

The saving potential of smart homes and buildings

"Greener living" includes to make homes more energy and cost efficient. Ongoing advances in IoT are helping to make a home more eco-friendly, firstly by making IoT devices themselves more efficient and consuming less. On the other hand, IoT applications can help to reduce energy consumption in the home - automatically or by supporting the occupants. And all this while increasing comfort.

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and the energy consumption is a duty for all of us - companies, operators of large office buildings, but also for us citizens. It is important to minimize and control consumption in every home and building. Infineon offers a wide range of products that enable simple, reliable and cost-effective implementation of smart homes, like:

Smart thermostats with networked sensors for more precise heating and cooling control.
Smart window opening systems that automatically ventilate rooms based on data from air quality sensors.
Smart lighting controls based on the presence of people.
Weather monitoring systems that coordinate electric vehicle charging times to minimize energy consumption at peak times and charge vehicles when, for example, green solar power is available from the solar system on the roof.

What we can do to support a greener living (in the future)

According to the International Energy Agency (2023), buildings worldwide account for 30% of final global energy consumption, corresponding to 26% of global CO2 emissions. The share of electricity in the energy mix is growing (currently at 35%). This results in total electric power consumption of around 2,700 TWh per year. There is a huge potential to save electric energy and make buildings greener.

With today’s global energy crisis resulting in high prices and shortages that are hurting consumers, businesses and entire economies, it has never been more important to use energy more wisely. We can do this through simple changes in behaviour and habits to consume less energy in our daily activities. We can also save energy by investing in more energy efficient products that reduce both our energy bills and our environmental footprint.

The transition towards a greener future calls on households and building operators to adopt more eco-friendly practices. In buildings, electricity is consumed largely by appliances (45%) and by space cooling and heating (nearly 30%)1. Green IoT technology solutions can help to make a home or building smart and energy-efficient, balancing technological advances with sustainability.

Product examples for your smart home

A smart thermostat can be a powerful tool to save energy and money. Equipped with sensors, microcontrollers, and connectivity solutions modern systems are programmable, compute usage patterns, learn from the habits of users, and react to their surroundings. Additionally, residents can remotely turn the temperature up or down if they are not at home. This temperature control functionality can save a significant amount of money throughout the year. It also lowers energy consumption and emissions.

Modern HVAC systems for smart and efficient cooling

Reliable, quiet and variably adjustable - that's how an air conditioning system should work. Modern air conditioning systems can do much more. Smart air conditioners have the ability to measure the temperature, CO₂ concentration, and air quality. Based on sensor data they 'decide' when it is necessary to provide fresh, cool air. Thanks to machine learning, they adapt to the user's preferences. And they provide health check data to the manufacturer to support interventions before damage can occur.

Green smart factories of the future

The biggest consumers of electricity today are buildings and industry sectors (production and logistics operations in particular), which jointly account for over 90% of global electricity consumption and have contributed over 90% (around 5,700 TWh) to global electricity demand growth since 2010 (1).

Innovative, smart IoT applications can not only increase efficiency, but also minimize downtime, extend the lifetime of machines and plants, and increase resource efficiency. Smart IoT can shorten delivery journeys and delivery times, and thus contribute to reductions in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. It can also enable more climate-friendly production methods.

(1) IEA (2022), World Energy Outlook 2022, IEA, https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2022

Resource-efficient production using production data effectively and in real-time

For a long time, many companies assumed that cost savings could only be achieved at the expense of sustainability performance. Digitalization and data technologies are now redefining those perceptions, balancing both sustainability gains with cost improvements. Digitalization enables manufacturing companies to sustainably design and optimize their processes. Industrial automation technologies, integrated solutions for factory sensors, and reliable networking technologies can help optimize controls and control loops, enabling smart consumption control.

Environmentally conscious fleet management for optimized routes and ressource saving

Pressure on transport and logistics companies as well as industrial enterprises is increasing, driven by the fact that transport and logistics operations account for a significant share of global energy consumption, and rising traffic volumes mean rising levels of air pollution and emissions. Fleet managers are under more pressure than ever to make sure their fleet-related decisions take environmental and climate impacts into consideration. Location, fuel consumption, idle time, driver behavior, and vehicle condition all play a role in the total emissions produced by a fleet. IoT sensors deployed on low-power wide area networks provide critical insight into these metrics to better optimize routes, improve driving behaviors, and ensure timely vehicle maintenance.

Predictive maintenance techniques supporting resource-efficient production

Data collected in smart factories enables predictive maintenance and the huge potential it offers for cost, energy, and resource efficiency gains. Building on sensor data, predictive maintenance uses advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to predict machine failures before they occur, or to anticipate maintenance needs before they become urgent. This increases equipment uptime, in many cases reduces operating costs as well as overall maintenance costs, and enables optimization of spare parts inventory by matching predictive maintenance to actual equipment needs. All this saves energy and material resources.

Start now and bring sustainability to your IoT devices

Resource optimization: IoT devices collect data on resource usage to identify opportunities for optimization.
Environmental monitoring: IoT devices monitor environmental conditions to track changes and identify areas for environmental protection measures.
Energy efficiency: IoT devices improve energy efficiency by monitoring and controlling HVAC systems, and optimizing traffic flow.
Supply chain optimization: IoT devices optimize supply chains by tracking the movement of goods and identifying inefficiencies.

Please contact me for more information about green IoT

Making green energy happen

If you want to learn more about energy efficient technologies from Infineon, click here and discover, how we make green energy happen

1) ABI Research market data forecasts
2) International Energy Agency

Can smart technologies be the key to a greener future?