Streaming HD videos is not so environmentally friendly, says a study recently published by the German Federal Environment Agency. It could lead to significant greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint based on the technology used.
The report shows the amount of carbon dioxide that data centers produce while storing data for streaming and transmitting it to consumers. The study concluded that the usage of fiber optic cables for streaming video resulted in 2 grams of CO2 emissions per hour, which doubled with the use of copper cables.
The maximum CO2 emissions occur with 3G mobile technology, which is around 90 grams per hour. However, streaming videos over 5G technology would result in only 5 grams of CO2 emissions per hour. This suggests that widespread adoption of this next-gen technology will help reduce the current emission levels as well as energy consumption.
German Minister of the Environment, Nature Conservation & Nuclear Safety, Svenja Schulze said that the study was conducted in an attempt to provide data and facts to encourage decision-makers and countries to take steps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that lead to global warming while also focusing on cleaner ways to develop their digital infrastructure.
