How Big Data Is Helping to Solve Climate Change

Climate change is intensifying, as evidenced by the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters in recent years. As bad as the situation has gotten, it could get much worse, eventually impacting the availability of food. According to a recent Forbes article, The 2.0-degree Paris Agreement threshold […]

is a level where […] we will start to see serious damage to marine ecosystems (i.e., seafood) and agricultural capacity (i.e. every other kind of food).  

If we do nothing to address the issue, we will hit that number within a couple of generations. Fortunately, technology companies like BairesDev are collaborating with organizations across many industries to develop a wide range of solutions to reverse the effects of climate change. Part of the challenge is finding the best way to make use of new technologies like artificial intelligence and big data to build new systems that can provide answers to multifaceted issues. 

Big data, in particular, can help with the reversal process by providing information to investors to help them choose environmentally friendly options, enabling various industries to emit less greenhouse gases, facilitating energy efficiency, and supporting the new supply-demand paradigm. Here we explore these areas in which big data can support efforts to avoid a worsening climate catastrophe. 

New Energy Choices

The Forbes article states that the key to reducing carbon output is shifting the way we measure the value embedded in commodities. That is, investing in markets that use processes that limit their emissions to a minimum. For example, Gasoline refined from Oil Sands oil generates almost twice the level of [greenhouse gas emissions] as does North Sea oil. With such information, delivered based on big data analysis, investors can make choices that make a difference. 

The same process can be used for other commodities, including food, steel, lumber, and electrical power. The contribution offered by this method may seem small but, if structured well, [markets] have the power to radically reshape paradigms . 

The Right Solutions

Energy companies aren’t the only ones with the power to reduce carbon emissions. Other industries are taking responsibility as well. Here are a few examples:

• Urban planning. AI is being used to measure and optimize traffic flows in cities, states Simon Greenman, co-founder of Best Practice AI, on Medium. Just reducing the number of cars stopping at red lights by optimizing flows through better timing of traffic signals can have a material impact on carbon emissions.  
• Building construction. Big data assisted by AI can determine the most efficient heating and cooling systems for new construction. Once installed, the systems can implement predictive controls that automatically adjust based on temperature, occupancy, and other factors. 
• Transportation. Autonomous cars and trucks can help reduce emissions based on more efficient driving methods. Greenman states, It has been estimated that smart automated driving systems could see a 15% reduction in fuel consumption over human operators.  
• Food supply chain. Given that food and its supply chain represent 25% of global emissions, reducing that amount can have a big impact. According to Greenman, From better predicting demand in restaurants to reducing food waste to helping developing world farmers diagnose and treat agricultural crops, AI is going to work.  
• Manufacturing. Companies that create products are using big data and AI to streamline their processes, thereby limiting the amount of power they use. 

Energy Efficiency

Energy companies and the industries mentioned above are responsible for adjusting the way they operate to reduce their carbon footprint and that of their customers. However, those customers can take proactive steps as well, and big data can help. Leading global technology company ABB notes that big data can be used to improve energy efficiency through energy use monitoring and management. 

For example, Oracle’s Opower helps utilities create energy use reports within local areas, so customers see how much energy they’re using compared to their neighbors. This behavior nudging prompts energy consumers to reduce their use. 

Supply and Demand

The one-way energy grid is quickly becoming a thing of the past as households and businesses start to generate power for their own use and to sell back into the smart grid. Big data supported by AI can optimize how power gets distributed using a multi-way approach. These technologies can determine how much power is available versus how much is needed at any given time. 

According to Medium’s Technology Innovations editor Emma Elice, Smart grids allow a two-way float of facts and power between consumers and suppliers, and big information and analytics allow dynamic energy management in smart grids.  

In Summary

As the world witnesses ever more destructive wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, the need for urgent action becomes clearer. The need to reduce global carbon emissions is driving innovators to develop new technologies and improve on those already in use. Big data is one such technology that is driving many of the others. The uses listed here are just a few of those in which big data can play a big part in moving toward a carbon-neutral future.