The carbon footprint of a computer

How much carbon emissions will a computer produce from manufacture to retirement?

The answer is about 300 kilograms of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to driving more than 1300 kilometers by a car. From the data point of view, computers are indeed major hidden carbon emitters.

How to create a zero-carbon computer?

As for the computer itself, the battery frame is made of 25% recycled plastic; the body material is made of 50% recycled aluminum; the main bracket is made of recycled steel; and the packaging carton is made of 100% degradable bamboo fiber material.

In the production process, self-built photovoltaic power generation is used and clean energy is used for production. In terms of production technology, cryogenic nitrogen production projects and warm water cooling technologies save a lot of energy consumption for production and manufacturing. The production base is a green and intelligent "zero-carbon" factory.

In the transportation process, replace oil with jet fuel extracted from gutter oil, allowing transportation companies to use sustainable fuels, which can reduce carbon emissions by 80%.

For computers that have been out of use, have ended their life cycle or are scrapped, recycling, decomposition, recycling and reuse can effectively reduce the landfill amount of scrapped electronic products.

After this operation, carbon emissions will be greatly reduced, but there are always links that will inevitably generate carbon emissions. How can a computer be considered a "zero-carbon"?

Then start with projects to avoid and reduce emissions from operations and value chains, then explore energy alternatives where technically and economically feasible, and finally use high-quality carbon credits to offset remaining emissions.

In the end, a Lenovo "zero-carbon" notebook computer was produced. Consumers using such a computer are equivalent to planting 7.3 trees in five years, or saving 132 kilowatt-hours of electricity in one year.

In May 2024, 15 departments including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the "Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System". Product carbon footprint is an important indicator to measure the green and low carbon level of production enterprises and products.

How to continue to conduct carbon footprint certification and achieve carbon neutrality of equipment by writing off carbon footprint emissions?

"Integrate the green product concept into the closed loop of the entire life cycle from raw material production to assembly and processing, logistics and transportation, customer use, and finally to equipment disposal." Wang Xuan, director of ESG and Sustainable Development at Lenovo Group and secretary-general of the ESG Committee of Lenovo China Platform, told reporters.

Following the release of the first carbon neutrality action report after 2023, recently, the "Lenovo Group 2023/24 Carbon Neutralization Action Report" was released, which comprehensively and systematically elaborated on the specific innovations and practices of Lenovo Group's carbon neutrality actions.

Enterprises are important participants in carbon neutrality actions. In July 2024, Lenovo Group updated its climate and energy policies, clearly stating its commitment to reducing the global carbon footprint, achieving absolute greenhouse gas emission reduction targets during operations, and promoting emission reductions in supply chains and product use.

Wang Xuan introduced that this report overall highlights four major highlights: proactive performance of responsibilities to respond to global climate change and implement the national "double carbon" strategy; strengthening climate information disclosure to enhance corporate climate resilience;ESG+AI two-wheel drive to jointly create green new productive forces; external empowerment, export sustainable development solutions, and join hands with all parties to build a net-zero ecosystem.

According to incomplete statistics, as of now, more than 3000 large companies around the world have proposed carbon neutrality goals.

As early as February 2023, Lenovo Group released a net-zero emission target roadmap, becoming the first high-tech manufacturing enterprise in my country to pass the Science-Based Carbon Targets initiative (SBTi) to organize net-zero target verification. The ultimate goal is to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the overall value chain in fiscal year 2049/50.

It is worth noting that in terms of disclosure standards and frameworks, the carbon neutrality action report continues to follow the four-element climate information disclosure framework of "governance, strategy, risk management, indicators and goals", and systematically discloses the company's understanding of climate change risks and opportunities. Identification and climate actions taken.

"Physical risks caused by climate change directly affect operating costs." Wang Xuan said that the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events require emergency preparedness and response plans to manage the risks faced by operating sites.

"Enterprises 'practice in the fields of product carbon footprint certification/evaluation, ESG responsible investment and climate information disclosure is an important basis for improving the carbon emissions trading market system and establishing a carbon footprint management system and other specific implementation plans." Chai Qimin, director and researcher of the Strategic Planning Department of the National Climate Strategy Center, said.

Achieving the goal of carbon neutrality requires the support of technological innovation. In Chai Qimin's view, behind the issue of climate change lies the issue of energy infrastructure and the iteration of new technologies. To promote technological innovation, we must jointly promote the reduction of carbon footprints from the production side and the consumption side and achieve a green and low-carbon transformation.

"Some time ago, the national standard for the general principles for carbon footprint accounting of my country's products has been released. In addition to primary raw material products, we must take the lead in promoting the introduction of carbon footprint standards in lithium batteries, new energy vehicles, photovoltaics, electronics and other fields." Chai Qimin said.