HP Offers Solutions Contributing to 1 Billion Tonnes of CO2 Emissions Reductions

HP offers the first low carbon IT solutions guide for customers

HP published a guide that identifies the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by using existing HP solutions.

HP’s white paper, titled “Low Carbon IT Solutions,” further supports the company-wide HP Eco Solutions program.

Beyond documenting the efficiency of information technology (IT) solutions, the white paper helps customers identify those products and services that can help them transition to operate with a lower carbon footprint.

“HP is committed to developing products and services that provide our customers with the opportunity for smarter growth,” said Pierre Delforge, manager, Energy and Climate Strategy, HP. “HP has identified eco solutions that provide countries, businesses and individuals with the tools to significantly reduce their climate impact.”

HP’s white paper builds upon the report developed by Dennis Pamlin, global policy advisor, WWF-Sweden, called “The potential global CO2 reductions from ICT use: Identifying and assessing the opportunities to reduce the first billion tonnes of CO2.” The report identifies 10 existing IT solutions that reduce CO2 emissions in areas including buildings, transportation networks and industrial production. With additional data and further analysis, particularly in the emerging economies, the ultimate potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) for curbing emissions can be further quantified.

Solutions described in HP’s white paper include:

* HP research into smart cooling and its use in the design of data center facilities that reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions from commercial premises.
* HP innovation in telepresence and videoconferencing that enable improved virtual collaboration to reduce the environmental impacts of international travel. HP’s use of this technology is expected to save approximately 20,000 international trips and at least 32,000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), an internationally recognized measure of greenhouse emissions.
* HP mobile computing technology, including flat panel displays and notebook PCs, which increases workplace flexibility to reduce energy consumption from non-critical travel.
* HP office and digital print solutions that help customers establish on-demand print and workflow processes that help avoid unnecessary printing and transportation of physical materials.

The “Low Carbon IT Solutions” white paper from HP is available at http://h41111.www4.hp.com/globalcitizenship/uk/en/pdf/1billiontonnessolutionsfinal.pdf.

“This guide to low carbon IT solutions by one of the world’s largest technology companies is welcomed and an important contribution in response to the urgent climate challenge,” said Dennis Pamlin, global policy advisor, WWF-Sweden.

More information on the report,“The potential global CO2 reductions from ICT use: Identifying and assessing the opportunities to reduce the first billion tonnes of CO2,” is available at www.wwf.se/source.php?id=1183710. The executive summary is available at www.wwf.se/source.php?id=1183711. The report is the first in a series of three, which will be released this fall.

A comprehensive partnership

Over the past year, WWF-US and HP have worked together to develop a comprehensive approach to climate change that could serve as a model for early action. At its core is a commitment from HP to reduce the carbon footprint of its products and across its worldwide operations by a total of 6 million tonnes by 2010.

HP has also worked with WWF to identify emerging technologies that could help achieve broader carbon-reduction gains, such as high-quality videoconferencing. And, the company is supporting WWF’s efforts to adapt some of the most important ecosystems on Earth to a warming climate. Currently, the focus is on expanding the partnership to include broader sustainability issues, such as sourcing of responsibly managed forest products for paper and packaging and addressing environmental impacts embedded in the supply chain.