Title page 1

Contents 3

1. Executive Summary 5

2. Introduction 9

2.1. Objective of Research 9

2.2. Our three selected use cases 9

2.3. Representative scenario approach 10

2.4. Structure of Report 11

3. Methodology for Modelling Energy Consumption in Digital Use Cases 12

3.1. Overview of the generic modelling framework 12

3.2. Generic input assumptions 14

3.2.1. Data Centre 14

3.2.2. Internet Transmission 19

3.2.3. End-User device 20

3.3. Specific input assumptions for our three cases 22

3.3.1. Video-streaming 22

3.3.2. ebook 23

3.3.3. AI translation 25

4. Methodology for Modelling Energy Consumption in Physical Counterfactuals 28

4.1. Physical counterfactuals involving manufactured products 28

4.1.1. Overview of approach 28

4.1.2. Input assumptions for Blu-ray 31

4.1.3. Input assumptions for book 40

4.2. Physical counterfactuals involving office-based work 43

4.2.1. Overview of approach 43

4.2.2. Input assumptions for translator 45

5. Results for Test Cases 47

5.1. Video streaming versus Blu-ray 47

Digital scenario 47

Physical counterfactual 51

Comparison of energy consumption 64

5.2. Ebook versus physical book 67

Digital Scenario 67

Physical counterfactual 71

Comparison of energy consumption 77

5.3. AI translation versus human translator 79

Digital scenario 80

Physical counterfactual 83

Comparison of energy consumption 85

6. Insights from Stakeholder Engagement 88

6.1. Overview of engagement methodology 88

6.2. Key themes emerging from discussions 88

General comments 88

PUE values 89

Artificial Intelligence 90

E-book Production 91

Video Streaming 92

7. Conclusions 93

Electricity Consumption 93

Centralised Electricity Use 94

Decarbonisation Readiness 95

Policy Implications 95

Suggested Use Cases for Future Research 96

8. Appendix A: Additional Use Cases for Further Research 99

9. Appendix B: Clarifications on Issues Raised by DESNZ 101

9.1. Treatment of head office energy consumption 101

9.2. Estimating energy consumption for human translation 102

10. Appendix C: List of Stakeholders 103

Tables 7

Table 1.1. UK electricity consumption by use case and scenario (KWh) 7

Table 3.1. Energy per unit of generic IT process 18

Table 3.2. Ranges of PUE for data centres 19

Table 3.3. Energy consumption of transmission (kWh/GB) 20

Table 3.4. Energy consumption for core devices (kWh/hour) 22

Table 3.5. Energy consumption for additional devices (kWh/hour) 22

Table 3.6. Configuration assumptions for the video streaming digital use case 23

Table 3.7. User base and RAM caching assumptions 23

Table 3.8. Configuration assumptions for the video streaming digital use case 24

Table 3.9. User base and RAM caching assumptions 25

Table 3.10. Configuration assumptions for the video streaming digital use case 26

Table 3.11. Input assumptions for digital scenario - AI translation 27

Table 4.1. Share of energy consumption by fuel type for various activities (%) 32

Table 4.2. Manufacturing and Storage energy (kWh/blu-ray) 34

Table 4.3. Assumed transport distances for Blu-ray discs 37

Table 4.4. Fuel consumption intensity (I/km) 38

Table 4.5. Energy content per litre (kWh/L) 38

Table 4.6. Energy efficiency for decarbonised scenario (kWh/km) 39

Table 4.7. Number of Blu-Rays 40

Table 4.8. Share of energy consumption by fuel type for various activities (%) 41

Table 4.9. Manufacturing and Storage energy (kWh/book) 43

Table 4.10. Input assumptions for human translation 46

Table 5.1. Activity volumes and process classification for IT processes 48

Table 5.2. Energy used in each IT process - Video Streaming (kWh) 48

Table 5.3. IT energy attributable to each user (kWh) 49

Table 5.4. Summary of data centre energy consumption (kWh) 49

Table 5.5. Transmission energy attributable to each user (kWh) 49

Table 5.6. Energy used in end-user devices (kWh) 50

Table 5.7. Total energy consumption for representative scenario (kWh) 50

Table 5.8. Total energy consumption for representative scenario (kWh) 50

Table 5.9. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) 51

Table 5.10. Energy Consumption for Manufacturing and Storage (Manufactured with Electricity within the UK) - Electricity (kWh/blu-ray) 52

Table 5.11. Energy Consumption for Manufacturing and Storage (Manufactured within the UK) - other fuel (kWh/blu-ray) 52

Table 5.12. Energy Consumption for Transportation (Manufactured within the UK) - other fuel (kWh/blu-ray) 53

Table 5.13. Energy Consumption for Transportation (Manufactured within the UK) - Decarbonised (kWh/blu-ray) 53

Table 5.14. Energy Consumption for End-User Device - Electricity (kWh) 54

Table 5.15. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured within the UK) - Electricity 54

Table 5.16. Energy per hour of video watching - (Manufactured within the UK) - Electricity 55

Table 5.17. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured within the UK) - Electricity 55

Table 5.18. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured within the UK) - All Fuel 56

Table 5.19. Energy per hour of video watching (kWh) - (Manufactured within the UK) - All Fuel 56

Table 5.20. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured within the UK) - All Fuel 57

Table 5.21. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - UK Manufactured - Decarbonisation 57

Table 5.22. Energy per hour of video watching (kWh) - (UK Manufactured) - Decarbonisation 58

Table 5.23. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (UK Manufactured) - Decarbonisation 58

Table 5.24. Energy Consumption for Storage and Retailing (Manufactured Overseas) - Electricity (kWh/blu-ray) 59

Table 5.25. Energy Consumption for Storage and Retailing (Manufactured Overseas) - gas (kWh/blu-ray) 59

Table 5.26. Energy Consumption for Transportation (Manufactured Overseas) - other fuel (kWh/blu-ray) 60

Table 5.27. Energy Consumption for Transportation (Manufactured Overseas) - Decarbonised (kWh/blu-ray) 60

Table 5.28. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured Overseas) - Electricity 61

Table 5.29. Energy per hour of video watching (kWh) - (Manufactured Overseas) - Electricity 61

Table 5.30. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured Overseas) - Electricity 61

Table 5.31. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured Overseas) - All Fuel 62

Table 5.32. Energy per hour of video watching (kWh) - (Manufactured Overseas) - All Fuel 62

Table 5.33. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured Overseas) - All Fuel 63

Table 5.34. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - Manufactured Overseas - Decarbonisation 63

Table 5.35. Energy per hour of video watching (kWh) - (Manufactured Overseas) - Decarbonisation 64

Table 5.36. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured Overseas) - Decarbonised 64

Table 5.37. Total electricity consumption attributable to the UK (kWh) 65

Table 5.38. Total energy consumption attributable to the UK (All Fuels, kWh) 65

Table 5.39. Energy use per hour of video viewing attributable to the UK (electricity, kWh/hour) 66

Table 5.40. DRI for Blu-ray streaming (% of energy from electricity) 67

Table 5.41. Activity volumes and process classification for IT processes 68

Table 5.42. Energy used in each IT process - Video Streaming (kWh) 68

Table 5.43. IT energy attributable to each user (kWh) 69

Table 5.44. Summary of data centre energy consumption (kWh) 69

Table 5.45. Transmission energy attributable to each user (kWh) 69

Table 5.46. Energy used in end-user devices (kWh) 70

Table 5.47. Total energy consumption for representative scenario (kWh) 70

Table 5.48. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) 70

Table 5.49. Energy Consumption for Manufacturing and Storage (Manufactured within the UK) - Electricity (kWh/book) 71

Table 5.50. Energy Consumption for Manufacturing and Storage (Manufactured within the UK) - other fuel (kWh/book) 72

Table 5.51. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured within the UK) - Electricity 73

Table 5.52. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured within the UK) - All Fuel 73

Table 5.53. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured within the UK) - All Fuel 73

Table 5.54. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - UK Manufactured- Decarbonisation 74

Table 5.55. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (UK Manufactured) - Decarbonised 74

Table 5.56. Energy Consumption for Storage and Retailing (Manufactured Overseas) - Electricity (kWh/book) 75

Table 5.57. Energy Consumption for Storage and Retailing (Manufactured Overseas) - other fuel (kWh/book) 75

Table 5.58. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured Overseas) - Electricity 75

Table 5.59. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - (Manufactured Overseas) - All Fuel 76

Table 5.60. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured Overseas) - All Fuel 76

Table 5.61. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) - Manufactured Overseas - Decarbonisation 77

Table 5.62. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) - (Manufactured Overseas) - Decarbonised 77

Table 5.63. Total electricity consumption attributable to the UK - ebook versus Physical Book (kWh) 78

Table 5.64. Total energy consumption attributable to the UK (All Fuels, kWh) 78

Table 5.65. DRI for physical books (% of energy from electricity) 79

Table 5.66. IT processes within data centre - AI translation 80

Table 5.67. Energy used in each IT process - AI translation (kWh) 81

Table 5.68. IT energy attributable to each user (kWh) 81

Table 5.69. Summary of data centre energy consumption (kWh) 81

Table 5.70. Transmission energy attributable to each user (kWh) 82

Table 5.71. Energy used in end-user devices 82

Table 5.72. Total energy for representative scenario (kWh) 82

Table 5.73. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) 83

Table 5.74. Time required to translate document 83

Table 5.75. Electricity consumed in translator's office 84

Table 5.76. Transmission energy attributable to each user (kWh) 84

Table 5.77. Energy used in end-user devices 84

Table 5.78. Total energy consumption for representative scenario (kWh) 85

Table 5.79. Breakdown of energy consumption (%) 85

Table 5.80. Total energy consumption - AI versus Human Translation (kWh) 86

Table 7.1. Total electricity consumption (kWh) in the UK 93

Table 7.2. Centralised Electricity Consumption by use-case (%) 94

Table 7.3. Decarbonisation Readiness (%) 95

Table 8.1. How our suggested additional use cases cover all major categories of data centre usage 99

Figures 14

Figure 3.1. Modelling framework for estimating energy consumption in digital use cases 14

Figure 4.1. Modelling framework for estimating energy consumption involving manufactured products 30

Figure 4.2. Modelling framework for estimating energy consumption involving office-based work 45