Go Green with Optical Fiber

It’s that time of the year when everyone’s thinking about how they can contribute towards improving the environment; about what can be done to save the planet. Here’s how optical fiber is contributing to greening the world we live in.

Two studies conducted in 2008 (one in Europe and one in the US) by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Ecobilan (commissioned by the FTTH Council) calculated that usage of FTTH-services can have a positive impact on the environment. These life-cycle based assessments studied the environmental impact of the deployment of a typical FTTH network – right from sourcing to implementation to consumption and finally to recycling (cradle to grave). While there is significant difference in the end result, there is consistency in the fact that FTTH networks will be beneficial to the environment. The more the ubiquity of the network, the faster will be the visibility of these positive results.

For Europe, the results showed that all resources in terms of energy and raw material used for producing, transporting and deploying the equipment in the network are offset by FTTH-enabled services like remote-working, tele-commuting, lesser business-related travel, and increased cost-savings from applications like tele-medicine. The study measured the environmental impact to be positive in less than 15 years compared to if the network had not been built. Intelligent deployment using existing ducts, where available, can further improve the positive environmental impact of FTTH.

For the US, interestingly, the environmental impact of the deployment of a typical FTTH network will be positive within less than 6 years considering only benefits associated to telecommuting. Reduction in carbon emissions from reduced road travel and lesser opex on transport infrastructure will be the prime contributors. What the report doesn’t highlight though, is the social impact that can ensue: people working from home will be able to eat and sleep better as well as spend quality time with family. A healthy mind and a healthy spirit to go with a healthy ecosystem and a healthy economy.

That’s not all – because FTTH networks are predominantly utilizing passive components and equipments, there are less moving and electrical parts – which means that less can go wrong with them (saving lots of valuable resources, time, and money) – and there is virtually no power required to run the networks. Compared to other relatively energy-guzzling network types, FTTH networks can really be considered the “Greener” technology.

According to mid-2008 estimates at the prevailing usage-levels, for the first 15 years of an FTTH network implementation, greenhouse gas emission savings per user were of 330 kg approximately. This is equivalent to a car travelling 2,000 kilometers. For the next 15 years, corresponding numbers would be 780kg and 4,600km. With more and more people benefitting from a work-from-home or tele-commuting opportunity, these numbers can only increase. And these don’t factor in any benefits that will result due to e-medicine, e-education, e-governance, etc.

That’s not all. If you thought that’s how optical fiber can be used to save valuable energy, check this link out: Fiber is being used to deliver natural light to places deep inside a building - whether to the lower floors of tall skyscrapers or the interiors like hallways and bathrooms.

Happy World Environment Day!