How AI can help the environment?

By : Author Desk

Updated : June 15, 2023
9:27 am

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How AI can help the environment?

Context- New tools like ChatGPT have generated a huge amount of interest in artificial intelligence in the past few months. But AI-powered technology has already been playing a growing role in our lives and economies for some time.

And while there are concerns about the potential downsides — that it could lead to job losses, project bias or be misused — AI has also been touted as a powerful tool to help tackle global crises, such as climate change.

(Credits- Microsoft News)

One study commissioned by tech giant Microsoft estimated that AI applications in the sectors of agriculture, water, energy and transport could lead to a 4% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 — equivalent to the annual emissions of Australia, Canada and Japan combined.

Saving trees with AI ‘guardians’

Deforestation and land use changes cause more than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and store it for long periods of time, and when they’re cut down, much of that CO2 escapes into the atmosphere.
To curb illegal land clearing, the nonprofit Rainforest Connection attaches acoustic monitoring sensors to trees that “eavesdrop” on the surrounding forest and transmit that audio in real-time to the cloud.
The data is analyzed by a machine learning model that has been trained to recognize sounds linked to illegal logging, such as a chainsaw or truck. Alerts are then sent out to authorities on the ground.

Shrinking the carbon footprint of steel

Materials such as steel and cement are important components in construction. But they’re also heavy CO2 emitters, making decarbonizing these industries a priority.
Steel production alone accounts for around a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing sector. A big part of this share comes from the mining and transportation of ingredients used in the production process.
US company Fero Labs has been working with five American steel plants and AI to reduce the amount of mined ingredients — or alloys — by up to a third. Fero Labs’ AI-driven optimization software learns from historical data to recommend the minimum amount of new additional material — if any — that needs to be added.

Cutting energy waste in buildings

In Hong Kong, energy use in buildings is responsible for about 60% of the city’s carbon emissions. With 7.5 million inhabitants, the finance hub is one of the most densely populated places in the world.
About a quarter of its total electricity consumption comes from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings.
Design firm Arup came up with an app called Neuron that uses 5G and Internet of Things sensors to gather real-time data from a building’s energy management system. It then uses an algorithm to analyze this data and optimize the heating and cooling system.

Fighting poaching with algorithms

Poaching and habitat destruction caused rhino numbers to dwindle throughout the 20th century. Most species are now considered endangered and mainly survive in protected reserves or sanctuaries, but they’re still targeted for their horns.
The South Africa-based company Rouxcel Technology has developed AI-enabled bracelets that fit around rhinos’ ankles to help conservation teams easily locate the animals and monitor their behavior in real time.

Smart farming

Agriculture is vulnerable to climate change, with unpredictable temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events and invasive pests all posing a risk to crop yields.
Germany-based startup Agvolution has developed an AI system that draws on data from solar-powered sensors monitoring the microclimate around crops.
The devices measure temperature, humidity, radiation and soil moisture in the field, while algorithms use these insights to make precise recommendations about plant health and exactly how much water and fertilizer to use.

Here comes the sun: Using computers to plot clouds

Ramping up renewable energy is a crucial step in transitioning away from fossil fuels. But with clean energy sources such as solar making up a bigger share of the energy mix, ensuring power grids are stable becomes more tricky.
When clouds move over solar panels, the power supply can suddenly drop off. That’s a problem for network operators who are trying to balance the grid and prevent blackouts.
Nonprofit Open Climate Fix has teamed up with the UK’s National Grid and uses AI to provide a precise picture of how clouds develop — the goal being to reduce the reliance on fossil-powered reserves.

Conclusion- From cleaning up polluting industries to disrupting deforestation, AI innovations have the potential to radically aid humanity’s efforts to fight climate change. More funds are needed for further Research and Development.