Latest from Next TV in Energy

WOW Makes Strides in Sustainability, Environmental Stewardship

michael.farrell@futurenet.com (Mike Farrell) — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 17:00:07 +0000

WideOpenWest reduced its real estate holdings by nearly 60% in the past two years and reduced its overall carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 30% in 2021, as part of its overall commitment to environmental stewardship, the company said Monday.

In its 2022 ESG/Sustainability report, WOW said that as an owner of fleet vehicles, it has long recognized the need to reduce CO2 emissions, and uses software solutions, smart routing and home garaging to reduce idling, improve miles per gallon and optimize driving times for field technicians. The company also decreased its real estate footprint by 59% over the last two years, contributing to a 26.4% reduction in WOW's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2021, according to calculations estimated by the CoolClimate calculator, a University of California, Berkeley climate research initiative.

Other operators have committed to various environmental and energy efficiency initiatives, including Comcast, which earlier in the month said it would double its network energy efficiency by 2023 and Charter Communications, which has implemented recycling initiatives and other measures to protect the environment.

"At WOW, we are guided by our values of Respect, Integrity, Spirit of Service and Accountability. These values help us responsibly manage our natural, social and people resources," CEO Teresa Elder said in a press release. "In observance of World Environmental Health Day, we are pleased to provide a more formal look into our culture and sustainability initiatives with our inaugural ESG report as we continue to conduct business with the interests of our employees, customers and our planet at the forefront."

WOW has also taken steps to reduce its carbon footprint and seek operational efficiencies in the field and in the home, such as offering energy efficient next generation set-top boxes; providing self-install kits to reduce miles driven and provide customers the option to easily install equipment without requiring a technician visit; and promoting eco-friendly business practices like avoiding unnecessary printing, unplugging less-used equipment to decrease power consumption and using the internet wisely to decrease the need for large data storage. In addition, WOW's corporate headquarters building is LEED certified and the company upgraded its office lighting to LEDs for efficiency and cost savings

The ESG report also detailed company efforts in the communities in which it serves, including initiatives like WOW in the Neighborhood (WIN), where employees are granted one 8-hour workday per year to donate to community service, which resulted in tens of thousands of volunteer hours worth hundreds of thousands of dollars being donated in 2021. In addition, WOW announced a scholarship program in Newnan, Georgia , where nine students at the local high school were awarded $1,500 each to use for continuing education in 2021. WOW’s Arm-In-Arm Fund is a grassroots program funded by employees to assist fellow employees during extreme, unusual and unique situations, such as after Hurricane Michael swept through Florida in 2018, during the early days of COVID-19, and after tornadoes swept through Georgia in 2021.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic WOW Increased the availability of affordable broadband, participating in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program. In May 2022, WOW was part of a select group of internet providers that were recognized by the White House for their participation in the program. WOW is also offering its own low-cost solution, Internet for Education, to provide more affordable broadband to eligible K-12 student households.

Energy2020: A Great Big Call to Arms

Leslie Ellis — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 12:30:00 +0000

The cable industry is aligning to massively improve its energy footprint by the year 2020, industry stalwarts said at a standing room-only afternoon session on Wednesday.

Specifically: A reduction of power consumption by 20%, while dropping energy costs by 25%, and grid dependency by 10%. But wait! There’s more: The program aims to optimize the power used in headends and data centers by 25%.

“This is a huge event that this industry must lead, to drive us to where we want to be” in the competitive environment and to both catch up and take the lead in sustainable energy, Mark Dzuban, president and CEO of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, said. “We’re talking really large scale, with almost all MSOs. With passion, not just a toe in the water — we cannot fool around with this.”

John Schanz, chief network officer for Comcast and the chair of the Energy 2020 mission, urged attendees to envision the mission as one that reaches from access plant through the core network, infrastructure and all the way to the cloud. “This is not just a data-center emphasis. It’s everything,” he said.

The work of it starts with defining measurements and metrics, so as to quantify progress towards the goals, Theresa Hennesy, senior vice president and group technical adviser for Comcast, and the moderator of the session, said.

“Energy is potentially the hidden inhibitor to us in the future,” she said. “This is about how we ensure that energy does not become the inhibitor — not because we can’t get it, but because we can’t afford it.”

The work of it is parsed into 10 work streams, all of which are chaired by MSO executives, most of whom were at the Wednesday session. It commences immediately.

“We’re going to move fast, we’re going to define goals — short-term and longer-term — we’re focused on delivering results and meeting the objectives that we’re setting out today,” Marty Davidson, the SCTE’s vice president of engineering and network operations, said. “Together, we will lead this industry into an energy revolution.”

Voluntary Set-Top Energy Plan Saved $168M: Report

Jeff Baumgartner — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 14:00:00 +0000

A voluntary set-top box energy conservation agreement announced in 2012 and now supported by the pay-TV industry, consumer electronics manufactures and other efficiency advocates have saved American consumers about $168 million in energy bills, they said, citing details outlined in a new annual report.

The report (PDF) found that the improved efficiency of set-tops also saved nearly 842,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, or roughly the output of one-half of a large (500MW) power plant.

According to the report, 85% of set-top boxes purchased by pay-TV providers in 2013 met the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR 3.0 efficiency levels, noting that new set-top boxes use approximately 14% less energy than those previously issued by the service providers.

Other 2013 milestones cited by the report include:

-The Voluntary Agreement led to a 4.4% reduction in national energy consumption by set-top boxes even as deployed stock increased in 2013.

-They also claim that these energy savings are larger when compared to national energy use projections without the Voluntary Agreement. Against those projections, the improved energy efficiency of the set-top boxes procured in 2013 saved American consumers almost $350 million in energy bills and saved nearly 1,750,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the output of one large (500MW) power plant.

-Set-top box purchases indicate early adoption of 2017 goals – 90% of purchased set-top boxes must meet a more stringent set of energy efficiency levels called Tier 2. Approximately 47% of set-top boxes purchased in 2013 meet the more efficient Tier 2 levels.

-Cable operators have deployed software updates enabling “light sleep” for set-top boxes already in homes and new set-top boxes. Telco providers deployed “light sleep” capabilities, and satellite providers have included an “automatic power down” feature in more than 90% of set-top boxes purchased and deployed.

In 2012, the pay-TV industry initiated a Voluntary Agreement, aiming for annual electricity savings of $1 billion or more, as the energy efficiency of set-top boxes is increased by up to 45%. Agreement signatories include 11 cable, satellite, and telco video companies and all major equipment vendors serving 91.9 million U.S. video subscribers, accounting for 91.3% of the total market in 2013. The agreement went into effect Jan. 1, 2013.

“The Voluntary agreement to reduce national energy use of set-top boxes is off to a great start. With these improvements the national energy used to power these devices is now going down,” said Noah Horowitz, Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, in a statement.

“These collective efforts of the cable, satellite, and telephone industries demonstrate a commitment to delivering innovative video services while at the same time saving energy in our customers’ homes,” added Michael Powell, president & CEO, National Cable & Telecommunications Association. “A big part of innovation is making sure we are good stewards of the environment, so these providers and device manufacturers will continue to look for new ways to conserve energy in delivering services.”

“The Annual Report is an important obligation of the Voluntary Agreement,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association. “It provides transparency, public accountability and a progress check on this non-regulatory initiative designed to deliver comprehensive energy and related cost savings for consumers and the country, while also protecting innovation and competition within our industry."