Net zero emissions: how Asia’s tech sector can lead the switch to renewable energy
- The ICT sector is driving the renewables market in the West, and has the potential to accelerate green energy development in the Asia-Pacific amid increased demand and growing pressure to decarbonise
For the region’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector, this underscores the urgency of seeking sustainable alternatives, to ensure continued economic growth in an increasingly environmentally conscious region.
The recent proliferation of ICT companies is unprecedented, with Asia accounting for 52 per cent of global growth in technology companies’ revenue over the past decade. Furthermore, the region is predicted to be the fastest-growing location for data centres in the next five years.
On a global scale, the ICT sector continues to play an outsize role in accelerating the move to clean energy. Almost a fifth of the current members of RE100 – a leading global initiative of hundreds of large businesses committed to adopting 100 per cent renewable electricity – are ICT companies. Collectively, they have purchased just under a quarter of the renewable energy available, with demand only set to grow.
As the ICT sector’s operational footprint increases in the Asia-Pacific, so will its energy requirements and corresponding carbon footprint.