DVB

DVB has concluded DVB to consider energy efficiency | Advanced Television (advanced-television.com)

A DVB study mission on energy-aware service delivery and consumption has delivered its final report, published as DVB BlueBook S100. Its central recommendation is to create a dedicated working group to ensure energy efficiency is taken into account in the future development of DVB specifications.

The study mission on Energy-Aware service Delivery and Consumption (EADC) was launched in September 2022, recognising the increasingly urgent need to address the climate crisis. Like many other standards-developing organisations, DVB wanted to examine the energy impact of its work and identify what role it could play.

The study mission was tasked with reviewing and analysing how relevant energy-related aspects could be considered in DVB systems. The report provides an overview of what is currently done in the ecosystem based on contributions from DVB Member delegates, exchanges with external entities, and responses to a survey launched to seek more input from the industry.

Based on the report’s recommendations, a new subgroup of the DVB Commercial Module – CM-EE – will work transversally to ensure energy efficiency is considered when developing new Commercial Requirements. The report recommends that the group use a light-touch process, using guidance and suggestions supported by reasoned argument. The group’s terms of reference will be formulated and approved over the coming months. Initial work is likely to consider the four use cases identified in the report:

1. Common energy-consumption measurement
2. Energy-consumption exposure
3. Energy consumption as a criterion for video source or quality selection
4. Modernisation or introduction of more energy-efficient technologies

The EADC Study Mission was led by Julien Lemotheux (Orange) and Erik Reinhard (InterDigital). They will oversee the initial meetings of the CM-EE group, during which a group chair will be elected.

DVB is working on Study Mission report on energy-aware service delivery and consumption – DVB

For many years, the impact of information and communication technologies on the environment went relatively unnoticed. But the effects are consequential and gaining attention. DVB started a study mission on Energy-Aware service Delivery and Consumption (EADC) in September 2022 to address this topic. The objectives were to review and analyse how all relevant energy-related aspects can be considered in DVB systems. The group then identified the potential need for new or revised specifications.

The Study Mission produced this report, giving an overview of what is done in the ecosystem, thanks to contributions from DVB Member delegates, exchanges with external entities, and answers to a survey launched to seek more input from the industry. This allowed to generate a list of all ideas that could help to improve energy efficiency when using DVB technologies. This is only the beginning of considering sustainability issues in the ecosystem. Still, it is now difficult to find a company or an SDO that is not actively engaged on this subject.

In conclusion, it is recommended that DVB considers energy efficiency when developing new Commercial Requirements through a light touch process, using guidance and suggestions supported by reasoned argument. The proposed next steps could be to begin by taking into consideration the four identified use cases:

1. Common energy consumption measurement
2. Energy consumption exposure
3. Energy consumption as a criterion for video source or quality selection
4. Modernisation or introduction of more energy-efficient technologies

Some use cases could be taken into consideration directly by existing working groups, for example, in DVB-I, DVB-DASH or DVB-AVC, and other use cases will probably require the creation of a new working group working specifically on energy efficiency as these use cases will imply transversal work between different groups – like CM-SEG for example.

In addition to these guiding principles, guidelines/whitepapers could help support DVB Members’ sustainability strategies.

Sustainability is a subject that has an overall understanding but is generally not thoroughly understood. Many people do not realise this topic is mature and moved on from its grassroots level. Sustainability needs to be taken seriously because it impacts the organisation’s financial and operational viability, attracts the best talent, and demonstrates a safe investment option for investors. Many consumers expect brands to be sustainable today. In addition, many countries are moving towards mandatory TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) reporting, meaning that some commercial organisations are motivated to quickly integrate ambitious sustainability commitments into their core business strategies and gain significant benefits. Beyond our operational impact, we need to acknowledge that our output significantly impacts our audiences’ lives and society. We are often proud of the positive impact that our initiatives are achieving (e.g. becoming plastic-free, having bicycle policies, green transport and green production). It is no different in sustainability, and we need to better acknowledge the positive and negative impacts our content generates in supporting society’s transition to net zero carbon. Several broadcasters now have very specific targets in place (BBC, ITV and Sky) and some cross-industry initiatives are looking to support broadcasters in approaching the topic. In some organisations, sustainability has permeated from high-level corporate strategy goals to daily tasks and teams’ working culture. This toolkit helps clarify sustainability, including its definitions, standards/certifications, and carbon calculators.

Sustainability Fundamentals.pdf (ebu.ch)