EU asks IT sector to set 2015 power saving goal - News Wires

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EU asks IT sector to set 2015 power saving goal

By: The Associated Press | 09 Oct 2009 | 09:24 AM ET

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BRUSSELS - The European Commission called Friday on information technology and communication companies to cut power use from their products and services by at least a fifth by 2015.

IT and telecoms currently drain some 8 percent of the European Union's electricity and contribute to 2 percent of the region's greenhouse gas emissions.

The EU executive said the sector could voluntarily reduce its own emissions and help other industries — construction, building management, transport and logistics — to use energy far more efficiently by rolling out smart meters and better information systems.

It is calling for IT companies to furnish data on current energy use next year and set nonbinding targets the following year.

Energy saving should be a key part of training for architects, builders, public planners and people working in transport and logistics, the EU executive said. It also wants EU governments to set a standard for smart meters that check energy use and to encourage them to be used more widely.

The EU has promised to reduce energy use by 20 percent by 2020 as part of an effort to curb its contribution to climate change and lessen its dependence on imported oil and gas.

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