by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG – HUAWEI believes information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to reduce global carbon emissions by 20 percent over the next decade.
The sentiments by the global technology company coincide with Earth Day, this year’s edition commemorated globally on Thursday.
William Xu, Director of the Board and President of Huawei’s Institute of Strategic Research stated that ICT adds new opportunities in electricity generation, storage and consumption.
He highlighted global energy consumption was growing at an annual rate of 1,7 percent.
Currently 85 percent of energy comes from fossil fuels.
“Energy sustainability is a daunting challenge that faces all of us,” Xu said.
For energy consumption, he advocated for integrated smart energy to build energy management systems for households, buildings, and factories, and to create zero-carbon communities, campuses and cities.
Huawei recently announced it would focus on innovating new technologies to help industries reduce their energy consumption.
In Africa, many countries are increasingly embracing renewable energy to leapfrog to a sustainable energy future.
In solar power alone, Africa has made great progress over the recent years, with more than 6 200 large-scale, commercial and industrial (C&I) and mini-grid projects identified across the continent.
In addition, nine more African nations, apart from South Africa and Egypt, are on their way to joining the ‘Gigawatt Club’, an unofficial tag for the group of countries with installed capacity to produce 1 GW of solar power.
Huang Su, Director of Huawei Southern Africa Digital Power Business, pointed out that nearly half the world’s 7,7 billion population without access to electricity lives in sub-Saharan Africa.
“So there is a strong and urgent need to accelerate the growth of renewable energy across the region to ensure sufficient, affordable, reliable energy for all Africans and for countries to reap the benefits of a green economy,” Su said.
With an industry-leading grid connectivity algorithm powered by AI, Huawei has provided over 200 power grid models for more than 30 countries and regions.
– CAJ News
