Led by Sean Hendrix, Indiana 5G Zone | Funded by AT&T

Project Overview & Summary

According to the U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA), industry was responsible for 23% of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, making it the third largest contributor. Now 5G wireless technology may help address this problem.

The Innovation Partners Institute (IPI) through its engagement with AT&T at Discovery Park District saw an opportunity to work with AT&T and it’s Connected Climate Initiative to explore use cases aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

AT&T’s Connected Climate Initiative brings together leading technology companies, AT&T Business customers, universities, and nonprofits with the goal of collectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by a gigaton—approximately 15% of the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2019.

5G enables higher-capacity and lower-latency communications that were not possible using older technology. The improved capacity and speed of communications will allow edge-based computing and real-time analytics that enable new use cases and applications that could be key to more efficient power use and management and reduced overall carbon emissions.

The IPI, an initiative of the Purdue Research Foundation, is partnering with the Indiana 5G Zone and will be collaborating with industrial manufacturers in the region to explore novel use cases aimed at reducing carbon emissions in an industrial manufacturing setting. “The IPI is about bringing together resources—financial support, expertise, and technology—to solve real-world community challenges through innovation,” said Troy Hege, Vice President of Innovation and Technology at the Purdue Research Foundation. “This project is a great example of that.”

IN THE NEWS:

Washington Post: Connecting Campuses to Find Climate Solutions

GreenBiz: Being bold: AT&T connects industries to a low-carbon future