Sustainable ICT

Digital technologies have become more efficient over the years. Networks and devices are faster and consume relatively little power. However, ICT has become so affordable and widely applicable that it is now used everywhere. This widespread adoption negates all efficiency gains—and even increases total impact. This phenomenon, known as Jevons' Paradox, is the greatest threat to this complex system. ICT now accounts for a significant share of material consumption and around 4% of global CO₂ emissions—comparable to aviation. While many sectors are reducing their environmental impact, ICT’s footprint continues to grow, driven by cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence.

The ICT domain is both technically and organisationally complex. Numerous parties—suppliers, developers, service providers—collaborate to create products and services. This makes it difficult to gain transparent insight into ICT’s environmental impact. Devices are used for multiple purposes, and production chains are often global and opaque. Without clear insight, it is hard to implement effective sustainability measures. Reducing energy use sounds promising, but if the measures themselves cause more harm than they prevent, a ‘waterbed effect’ occurs, defeating the purpose.

The ICT market is largely dominated by major foreign players. In the cloud sector, three American companies—Microsoft, Amazon, and Google—lead the way. For hardware and raw materials, we are heavily dependent on Asian suppliers. This dominance limits our influence over the environmental impact of products and services. In theory, we can set sustainability requirements during procurement, but in practice, the room to manoeuvre is limited. This links sustainability to a broader issue: digital autonomy and sovereignty.

TNO actively works on changing consumer behaviour along three main lines:

• Understanding motivations: We research what drives people to intensive ICT use and develop interventions to improve this behaviour.
• Exposing dark patterns: TNO develops methods to objectively identify misleading design choices in popular online services—often in violation of EU legislation.
• Enhancing digital wellbeing: We study the impact of screen time on mental health and design digital services that support wellbeing.

Businesses also suffer from digital overconsumption. ICT investments often yield less than expected, while outdated systems remain in use. TNO develops frameworks to help organisations critically assess their ICT usage and focus on what truly adds value.

TNO plays a central role in the energy transition and the broader Twin Transition, where digital and sustainable innovations go hand in hand.

We develop solutions that align ICT usage with the availability of renewable energy. Think of distributed data centres that dynamically adjust their energy demand to the electricity grid’s supply. This structurally reduces environmental impact, rather than merely shifting it. We also promote the reuse of equipment and components and support circular business models in the ICT sector.

TNO works on both transparency and optimisation in digital infrastructure.

Transparency: We go beyond CO₂ emissions to include scarce materials and water usage. It’s not just about hardware, but especially the digital services running on it. At TNO, we map the energy consumption of ICT services across the entire chain, linked to actual usage. Our approach is unique in that we measure not only total consumption but also the effects of increased or decreased use—its ‘elasticity’. We also conduct full Life Cycle Analyses (LCA), including production, use, end-of-life of hardware, and indirect effects such as reduced travel due to increased ICT use.
Optimisation: Using smart algorithms, we make network and cloud processes more efficient and better aligned with the energy grid. We also develop cooling and heat recovery systems that directly improve the energy efficiency of data centres.

Effective policy interventions are essential to accelerate the transition to sustainable IT. TNO focuses on strategic recommendations for policymakers that promote technological innovation, environmental awareness, and the economic competitiveness of the Netherlands and Europe. We also bring together companies and public organisations to jointly tackle shared challenges.

This includes developing and operationalising new sustainable and collaborative revenue and funding models in the digital sector. In doing so, we help build an ecosystem where innovation and sustainability reinforce each other, where economic opportunities arise for Dutch businesses, and where Europe takes steps toward digital sovereignty.