This is a complex question, to which no comprehensive answer has yet been found. This paper explores the results of the research literature to quantify the decarbonisation potential of four selected use-cases in the strategic domains of energy and transport: smart grids, smart homes, teleworking and carpooling.
While their potential is not negligible, overall these digital solutions appear to be modest in comparison with the current level of emissions in their respective sectors. Often constrained by rebound effects, the expected energy savings and emissions reductions remain largely hypothetical, requiring for the most part, changes in user behaviour. For instance, the practice of teleworking by 10 million active people for one day a week would enable them to avoid between 1 and 4 MtCO2 per year, depending on their behaviour : and more flexible use of office spaces (flexoffice). In an optimistic scenario, smart homes could reduce energy consumption by 20 TWh and emissions by 4 MtCO2 but, under less favorable assumptions, they could result to a net increase in these two quantities (+2 TWh and +0.1 MtCO2), given the footprint of the chosen solution.
Methods for assessing the environmental impact of digital solutions need to be improved and, above all, shared between the stakeholders, beyond the four cases studied here for illustrative purposes. Reliable assessments of all the costs and benefits are needed to guide public decision-making effectively. The context in which these solutions are deployed must be taken into account in order to define their area of relevance. The useful and necessary promotion of digital solutions that can contribute to the ecological transition must not overshadow the major challenge of keeping the environmental impact of all digital uses under control.
Reading : for the three uses other than smart grids, the scenarios identify assumptions that vary the solution’s efficiency gains on the one hand and the extent of rebound effects on the other, taking into account the solution’s footprint. These results have been estimated on the basis of the current French energy mix and the following deployment assumptions.
• Carpooling: 2.1 million additional carpooling journeys per day (projection of the National Plan for “Carpooling for Everyday Life” – Government (2022), France Nation verte);
• Teleworking: 1 day of teleworking per week for 10 million working people;
• Smart home: equipping 30 million homes with an intelligent domestic heating system.
The estimated gains from smart grids are taken from RTE (2017), Réseaux électriques intelligents, September. The figures on the potential gains in emissions from teleworking are taken from Ademe (2020), Etude sur la caractérisation des effets rebonds induits par le télétravail, September.
Source: France Stratégie
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