News

ICT and the Global Energy Crisis

HE Luo Linquan, Ambassador of China to Ireland has opened the 2012 China Ireland Information & Communications Technology (CIICT) symposium, ICT & Energy Efficiency, at Dublin City University. The symposium will explore how the design of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is increasingly influenced by energy costs and power consumption constraints and, additionally, how ICT will be broadly applied in future to help manage the emerging global energy crises.

Organised by RINCE, DCU's research institute focussed on innovation in engineering technologies, and a partner event of the Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) 2012, the two-day symposium will feature talks and technical panel sessions led by international experts and a special session on China-Ireland research funding opportunities. Discussions will centre on three main themes:

• Convergence of Smart Grid and the Internet of Things: ICT has a significant role to play in Smart Grid. The symposium will explore a spectrum of technologies from in-building sensor networks and smart metering, to the role of ICT in renewable energy generation and demand-side management.
• Energy Efficient Wired and Wireless ICT: While ICT is seen as a large part of the solution towards reducing the world's carbon footprint, ICT in itself needs to become more energy efficient. The symposium will explore state-of-the-art techniques being proposed to reduce energy consumption in both fixed and wireless networks.
• Network Security and Energy Efficiency: Security is a major focus of the ICT industry, both from the point of view of blocking spam and viruses, and from the increasing need to protect consumer privacy. The symposium will consider energy-efficient network security schemes as part of the effort towards 'Green' ICT and also the role network security will play in smart grid networks, where sensitive user data must be protected.

Founded in 2006, and alternating annually between China and Ireland, CIICT aims to strengthen ICT research collaboration between China and Ireland, facilitating both academic and industrial research interactions between the two countries and their international partners.

For further information, visit CIICT 2012.