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Incorporation of software in the life cycle assessment of an ICT service: A case study of an ICT service for energy efficiency in the transport sector

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  • Bryan Lopez Londoño
  • Shoaib Azizi
  • Göran Finnveden

Abstract

Information communication and technology (ICT) services and solutions can improve resource efficiency in a variety of sector, but also result in direct environmental impacts. This study assesses the direct environmental impacts of an ICT service that improves vehicle fuel efficiency using a cradle‐to‐grave life cycle assessment (LCA). This is one of the first studies to examine the entire life cycle of an ICT service from development to use and maintenance, with a focus on software—an aspect that is typically neglected in previous studies. The results suggest that software development and maintenance and the use of in‐vehicle communicators for data transmission have the largest environmental impacts across multiple categories. Deployed across a fleet of 150,000 vehicles over 5 years, we estimate that the ICT service is responsible for 174 tCO2e. However, this is negligible compared with the total emissions of the fleet and the potential savings from the service, given a single diesel vehicle in this fleet emits around 130 tCO2e over the same period. We explore several scenarios to reduce the footprint of the ICT service. The largest potential reduction of around one‐third is achieved by replacing in‐house servers with cloud computing in a data center located in a region with low‐carbon electricity. The study demonstrates how LCA can be used to assess the environmental impacts of ICT services and the importance of considering software in these assessments.

Suggested Citation

  • Bryan Lopez Londoño & Shoaib Azizi & Göran Finnveden, 2024. "Incorporation of software in the life cycle assessment of an ICT service: A case study of an ICT service for energy efficiency in the transport sector," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(6), pages 1965-1978, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:28:y:2024:i:6:p:1965-1978
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13570
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thomas Schaubroeck & Simon Schaubroeck & Reinout Heijungs & Alessandra Zamagni & Miguel Brandão & Enrico Benetto, 2021. "Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment: Definitions, Conceptual Characteristics and Modelling Restrictions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-47, July.
    2. Malmodin, Jens & Lövehagen, Nina & Bergmark, Pernilla & Lundén, Dag, 2024. "ICT sector electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions – 2020 outcome," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3).
    3. Gopalakrishnan Sriraman & Shriram Raghunathan, 2023. "A Systems Thinking Approach to Improve Sustainability in Software Engineering—A Grounded Capability Maturity Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, May.
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    1. Furberg, Anna & Azizi, Shoaib & Bieser, Jan & Bol, David & Coroamă, Vlad & Eriksson, Elina & Fuso-Nerini, Francesco & Golard, Louis & Höjer, Mattias & Kamiya, George & Lundén, Dag & Lövehagen, Nina & , 2026. "Guidelines for assessments of the global information and communication technology sector's direct energy use and climate impact: Key aspects and future scenarios," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 226(PA).

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