SCTE Launches Initiative to Drive Adoption of 'Green' Technologies and Best Practices

EXTON, Pa., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) today announced an unprecedented new initiative that is designed to help cable system operators to leverage the financial and environmental advantages of implementing "green" strategies.

The Smart Energy Management Initiative (SEMI), an expansion of SCTE's leadership role in the application of environmentally-friendly and sustainable procedures and products, is intended to drive the creation of meaningful solutions for more efficient operations and economic benefit, as well as positive community impact.  SCTE has targeted several key areas, including Energy Management processes and products that can reduce current operational costs; Renewable Energy technologies that can benefit operators with ROIs of three-to-seven years; and Recycling and Recovery techniques that can minimize the disposal effects of outdated equipment.

The SEMI program builds on the success of the "Green Pavilion" at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo® in 2009, and subsequent industry-wide demand for increased expertise in the field of energy-efficient communications technology.  The initial agenda for 2010 and beyond includes multiple forums to raise awareness of developing solutions and how they apply to cable operations; an intensive research and thought leadership program; expanded panels and exhibit platforms at Cable-Tec Expo and other SCTE events; development of best practices in the area of energy management; and practical technology demonstrations.

SCTE will host the first of several 2010 SEMI events on April 7 at the Comcast Center in Philadelphia.  The agenda is expected to include a variety of topics, such as development of a process for calculating baseline energy usage; updates on alternative heating and cooling solutions; and approaches to reduce outside plant powering costs and consumption.  An inaugural forum in December, 2009 addressed facility powering issues and the industry-wide need for, and benefits of, comprehensive energy management plans.

"The continued growth and unpredictability of energy costs and the need to safely retire CPE gear and other network devices are problems that every cable operator is going to need to deal with over the next five to 10 years," said Mark Dzuban, president and CEO of SCTE.  "We believe that a 'best practices' approach to energy systems can provide greater control over expenses; has the potential to reduce the energy costs of individual systems by as much as 30 percent; and can help the industry to take equipment offline in the safest manner possible."

"The cable industry recognizes that we must find new and creative ways to implement 'green' solutions that will maximize energy efficiency, reduce our overall carbon footprint and increase use of alternative energy sources," said Kyle McSlarrow, NCTA President & CEO.  "We applaud SCTE's launch of this comprehensive initiative, and look forward to working with SCTE to help make significant advancements in the way we consume and manage our environmental resources."

The first program to take a comprehensive view of cable energy policies and procedures, the SCTE SEMI effort is intended to include both near-term recommendations that could produce immediate benefits, as well as more ambitious activities that are expected to significantly reduce Total Cost of Ownership.  The extensive list of solutions under study will include such diverse possibilities as:

• Increased use of workforce management tools to increase the efficiency of truck rolls through the integration of GIS, GPS and OSS mobile navigation systems;
• The role of alternative fuels for fleet powering and hybrid vehicles;
• Incorporation of solar, wind, fuel cells and other renewable sources to power facilities such as Headends, Hubs, Data Centers and Administrative Centers;
• Alternatives such as geothermal for cooling of data centers and other network facilities.
• Creation of an industry-wide system to ensure that potentially hazardous elements from devices are re-used, and not allowed to pose harm to the environment.
• New guidelines for equipment power consumption and heat dissipation methods.

To provide cable operators with the largest possible knowledge base, SCTE is combining the industry expertise of its members and its staff with resources from companies that have proven experience in the energy management, renewable energy and e-waste fields.  The organization has established an e-mail address – [email protected] – specifically for SEMI program inquiries and input, and plans to create additional vehicles for the collection and communication of information.  SCTE anticipates that the collaboration will result in case studies, demonstration projects and standards-based solutions that will positively impact the bottom lines and public images of cable system operators.

The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) is a non-profit professional association that provides technical leadership for the telecommunications industry and serves its members through professional development, standards, certification and information. SCTE currently has approximately 13,000 members from the U.S. and 70 countries worldwide and offers a variety of programs and services for the industry's educational benefit. SCTE has 68 chapters and meeting groups and more than 3,000 employees of the cable telecommunications industry hold SCTE technical certifications. SCTE is an ANSI-accredited standards development organization. Visit SCTE online at www.scte.org. Follow SCTE at http://www.facebook.com/TheSCTE and http://twitter.com/SCTE.

SOURCE Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers