Fibre paramount to Zero Carbon Footprint

Fibre paramount to Zero Carbon Footprint

Fibre paramount to Zero Carbon Footprint

A recent Fiber Broadband Association whitepaper emphasizes the significant environmental benefits of deploying FTTH networks compared to Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) networks.


FBA: Fibre Broadband Deployment paramount to achieving Zero Carbon Footprint

The whitepaper "Fibre Broadband Deployment Paramount to Achieving Zero Carbon Footprint” positions fibre broadband as a critical infrastructure component for achieving sustainability goals and transitioning to low-carbon digital economies. Fibre deployment also presents opportunities to recycle older network components (like coaxial and copper) as networks are upgraded. 

In estimating the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing different components of the network, three lifecycle stages were considered: raw materials extraction, processing, and manufacturing.

Some key takeaways from the whitepaper: 

  • The shift from HFC to FTTH may temporarily increase carbon footprint during the infrastructure overhaul, but operational savings in energy and emissions result in a break-even point in approximately six years. After this period, the overall sustainability impact is substantial. 
  • Carbon footprint associated with network operational use (electricity) is up to 96% lower in FTTH networks than in HFC networks. FTTH XGS-PON OLT network technology measured 0.42 – 0.83 kg CO2e per year for each home passed. For an HFC network, this amounted to 11.38 – 11.53 kg CO2e. 
  • Compared to HFC, the carbon footprint associated with network infrastructure deployment and buildout is 7% lower in FTTH networks. Carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing of network infrastructure components and systems is 60% less for FTTH. 
  • Devices in FTTH networks, such as optical network terminals (ONTs), have 18% lower carbon emissions compared to cable modems used in HFC networks. 
  • HFC and DOCSIS systems have high electricity consumption due to outside plant network components. FTTH and XGS-PON have no outside plant powered network elements or use minimal power if cabinet or node-based OLTs are placed in the outside plant, serving a wide customer area. 
  • Fibre technology also offers carbon footprint savings over HFC at the customer premises.

“There are many reasons that service providers are choosing fibre broadband networks,” said Mike Emmendorfer, FBA Sustainability Working Group Chair and Calix VP of Technology. “Our research confirms that fibre networks offer significant carbon footprint advantages over HFC networks, from manufacturing of the components, through installation and operation of the network.”

Fibre networks much more energy-efficient than copper-based systems.

  • A study by Europacable has found that fibre is the most energy efficient technology for broadband access networks, compared with DSL, xDSL, vectoring and DOCSIS.
  • According to ARCEP, France’s Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications, Postal Affairs and Print Media Distribution copper networks use four times more than fiber networks. 
  • The FTTH Council Global Alliance (FCGA) global Sustainability Survey cites converting from hybrid fibre coax (HFC) to FTTH as a way of improving sustainability programs. 
  • ETSI research shows fibre consumes 3 x less energy than xDSL, while Internet speed is generally 10 times faster. 
  • A World Broadband Association report mentions that in recent years, Belgian incumbent Proximus has begun investing in transitioning its traditional copper legacy network to full fiber and has seen a 75% reduction in power consumption as a result. 
  • Research by the Carbon Trust indicates that FTTH networks can cut carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to copper networks. Transitioning from legacy copper to fibre can reduce emissions, due to lower power requirements and the longer life cycle of fibre infrastructure.