Nokia Siemens Networks and the Environment: A Commitment to Sustainable Development
1. Introduction
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and services with headquarters in Espoo, Finland. The company operates in 150 countries and employs approximately 60,000 people. Nokia Siemens Networks is a joint venture between Nokia and Siemens AG, each holding 50% of the company’s shares.
Nokia Siemens Networks provides a complete end-to-end portfolio of products and services for fixed, mobile and converged broadband networks. The company’s solutions enable service providers to increase capacity and efficiency, reduce time to market and improve the quality of their services. In addition, enterprises and governments can use Nokia Siemens Networks’ solutions to improve their productivity and efficiency.
Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to sustainable development and has set ambitious targets to reduce its environmental impact. The company has set a target to reduce its CO2 emissions from networks and offices by 40% by 2020, compared to a 2006 baseline. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks has set targets to enhance data rates for global evolution, reduce the energy consumption of office buildings by 6% by 2012, and increment the consumption of renewable energy to 50% of total energy use by the end of 2010. All of these targets are part of Nokia Siemens Networks’ overall goal to become a carbon-neutral company by 2020.
2. Nokia Siemens Networks and the Environment
2.1 Reducing CO2 Emissions from Networks and Offices
Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to reducing its CO2 emissions from networks and offices by 40% by 2020, compared to a 2006 baseline. The company has already made significant progress towards this target, with a 37% reduction in emissions achieved by the end of 2009.
To achieve its ambitious target, Nokia Siemens Networks has implemented a series of measures to reduce energy consumption across its operations. For example, the company has introduced more energy-efficient products and solutions, such as its GSM Energy Saving Mode which can reduce network energy consumption by up to 20%. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks has invested in research and development projects to further improve the energy efficiency of its products and solutions.
In 2009, Nokia Siemens Networks also launched an internal carbon pricing program which places a monetary value on CO2 emissions. This carbon price is used to encourage employees to find ways to further reduce emissions from company operations.
2.2 Enhancing Data Rates for Global Evolution
Nokia Siemens Networks is also committed to enhancing data rates for global evolution as part of its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2020 (from 2006 baseline). The company plans to achieve this through improvements in technology that will lead to more efficient use of radio spectrum.
In 2009, Nokia Siemens Networks launched the world’s first commercial Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) network. EDGE is a third-generation (3G) mobile telephone technology that offers increased data rates compared to previous generations of mobile technologies. EDGE enables operators to offer higher-speed data services without having to invest in new infrastructure.
Nokia Siemens Networks is also working on other technologies that will improve data rates while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the company is researching ways to increase the capacity of existing WCDMA/HSPA networks “up to 40% by 2012”. This will enable operators to offer higher-speed data services without the need to build new infrastructure.
2. 3 WCDMA/HSPA “Up to 40% by 2012”
In addition to increasing data rates, Nokia Siemens Networks is also working on ways to reduce the energy consumption of office buildings by 6% by 2012. The company plans to achieve this through a combination of measures, including the introduction of more energy-efficient products and solutions, and the implementation of energy-saving measures in its own office buildings.
Nokia Siemens Networks has already introduced several products and solutions that can help reduce the energy consumption of office buildings. For example, the company’s GSM Energy Saving Mode can reduce network energy consumption by up to 20%. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks has developed a range of energy-efficient products for fixed and mobile broadband networks. These products can help service providers reduce their energy consumption by up to 50%.
Nokia Siemens Networks is also working on ways to reduce the energy consumption of its own office buildings. The company has set a target to reduce the energy consumption of its office buildings by 6% by 2012. To achieve this target, Nokia Siemens Networks is introducing a range of measures, including the use of more energy-efficient lighting and the installation of solar panels on the roofs of its office buildings.
2. 4 Reducing the Energy Consumption of Office Buildings by 6% by 2012
In addition to reducing its own energy consumption, Nokia Siemens Networks is also working to increase the proportion of renewable energy in its overall energy mix. The company has set a target to increase the share of renewable energy in its total energy consumption to 50% by the end of 2010. This is an ambitious target, but one that Nokia Siemens Networks is confident it can achieve through a combination of measures, including the purchase of renewable energy credits and the installation of solar panels on the roofs of its office buildings.
Nokia Siemens Networks has already made significant progress towards its goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in its total energy mix. In 2009, the company purchased enough renewable energy credits to offset 100% of its electricity consumption. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks has installed solar panels on the roofs of several of its office buildings, including its headquarters in Espoo, Finland. The solar panels have a total capacity of 1MW and are expected to produce 1GWh of electricity per year, enough to offset the electricity consumption of 200 homes.
3. Conclusion
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and services with a commitment to sustainable development. The company has set ambitious targets to reduce its environmental impact, including a goal to reduce CO2 emissions from networks and offices by 40% by 2020. Nokia Siemens Networks is making good progress towards this goal, with a 37% reduction in emissions achieved by the end 2009. The company has also set targets to enhance data rates for global evolution, reduce the energy consumption of office buildings by 6% by 2012, and increment the consumption of renewable energy to 50% of total energy use by the end 2010. All these targets are part competitiveness strategy as well as part ethical responsibility for current situation with climate change and environment pollution..