Siemens – Siemens joins Green Software Foundation’s steering committee to drive sustainable software development

October 26, 2023
SIEMENS

  • Joint commitment to reduce software’s environmental footprint
  • Siemens recognizes importance of software in order to advance sustainability and aims to invest in sustainability networks like Green Software Foundation
  • Green Software Foundation focuses on developing energy-efficient systems and infrastructure and aims for green software to become new standard for the future

Siemens is proud to join the Green Software Foundation (GSF) as a new member of its steering committee to help guide the Foundation’s strategic direction. Siemens’ steadfast commitment to resource efficiency and sustainability aligns with the GSF’s mission to build the tools, knowledge and best practices necessary for reducing software’s environmental footprint.

Siemens technology is enabling enterprises and organizations around the world to increase decarbonization, resource efficiency and contribute to the circular economy. The development of this technology and other software is increasingly contributing to the world’s carbon footprint, which underscores the need for global industrial companies like Siemens to invest in sustainability networks such as the GSF. The Foundation focuses on evolving software to be energy-efficient and compatible with complex software systems and infrastructure for information and communication technology. Industrial solutions must meet unique requirements beyond those of traditional enterprise IT systems. These solutions must also take into account cloud-to-edge scenarios, installed base and regulatory compliance – all while maintaining the high standards expected for industrial solutions.

“In the pursuit of sustainability, isolation is costly. We share a common belief that collaboration and collective intelligence will drive systemic shifts toward sustainability in tech. Our Siemens Xcelerator vision fully supports this journey towards sustainable, flexible and open SaaS solutions. In addition, as new technologies emerge, we firmly believe that green software will play a key role in the future,” said Peter Körte, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategy Officer of Siemens AG.

Siemens joins Accenture, Avanade, BCG X, GitHub, Globant, Intel, Microsoft, NTT Data, Thoughtworks and UBS to demonstrate leadership in building a culture of green software and to chart the Foundation’s course going forward.

“We’re thrilled to expand GSF’s steering committee with Siemens and we’re hopeful that the contributions its engineers and researchers will make will advance green software patterns and tools compatible with intricate, multi-tiered computing systems for broader industry adoption of green software,” shared Asim Hussain, Chairperson and Executive Director of the GSF.

 

SourceSIEMENS

EMR Analysis

More information on Siemens: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dr. Roland Busch (President and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens AG): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Peter Körte (Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, Siemens AG): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Xcelerator by Siemens: https://www.sw.siemens.com/en-US/digital-transformation/ + Xcelerator provides the engineering and manufacturing software, services and application development platform to blur the boundaries between industry domains. Companies can use this technology today to build the products of tomorrow. Turn complexity into your competitive advantage with Xcelerator.

Siemens Xcelerator consists of three pillars:

  • Portfolio: A curated, modular portfolio of IOT-enabled hardware and software based on standard application programming interfaces, facilitating the integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT).
  • Ecosystem: A growing ecosystem of partners.
  • Marketplace: Interactions and transactions among customers, partners and developers.

 

More information on Green Software Foundation (GSF): https://greensoftware.foundation/ + We are a non-profit formed under the Linux Foundation with organisations and individuals participating in various projects to further our mission.

The Foundation’s mission is to reduce the total change in global carbon emissions associated with software. When evaluating choices we choose the option that advocates for abatement (reducing emissions) not neutralisation (offsetting emissions).

  • 58 Member organizations
  • 1098 Individuals

More information on Asim Hussain (Chairperson and Executive Director, GSF + Director, Green Software and Ecosystems, Intel Corporation): https://greensoftware.foundation/team + https://www.linkedin.com/in/jawache/ 

 

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
    • Primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities. Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and other biological materials, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement). Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere (or “sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle.
  • Biogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
    • Carbon Dioxide released as a result of the combustion or decomposition of organic material, that is biomass and its derivatives. Examples include carbon dioxide released during the combustion of wood and biogas generated by decomposition.
    • Biogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) are the same. Scientists differentiate between biogenic carbon (that which is absorbed, stored and emitted by organic matter like soil, trees, plants and grasses) and non-biogenic carbon (that found in all other sources, most notably in fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas).
  • Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):
    • CCS involves the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial processes, such as steel and cement production, or from the burning of fossil fuels in power generation. This carbon is then transported from where it was produced, via ship or in a pipeline, and stored deep underground in geological formations.
    • CCS projects typically target 90 percent efficiency, meaning that 90 percent of the carbon dioxide from the power plant will be captured and stored.
  • Decarbonization:
    • Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

 

  • Circular Economy: 
    • A circular economy is a systemic approach to economic development designed to benefit businesses, society, and the environment. In contrast to the ‘take-make-waste’ linear model, a circular economy is regenerative by design and aims to gradually decouple growth from the consumption of finite resources.
    • In such an economy, all forms of waste, such as clothes, scrap metal and obsolete electronics, are returned to the economy or used more efficiently.
    • The aim of a circular economy is hence to create a closed-loop system where waste and pollution are minimized and resources are conserved, reducing the environmental impact of production and consumption.
  • Sustainability Vs. Circular Economy:
    • Circularity focuses on resource cycles, while sustainability is more broadly related to people, the planet and the economy. Circularity and sustainability stand in a long tradition of related visions, models and theories.
    • A sustainable circular economy involves designing and promoting products that last and that can be reused, repaired and remanufactured. This retains the functional value of products, rather than just recovering the energy or materials they contain and continuously making products anew.

 

  • IT & OT:
    • Information technology (IT) refers to anything related to computer technology, including hardware and software. Your email, for example, falls under the IT umbrella. This form of technology is less common in industrial settings, but often constitutes the technological backbone of most organizations and companies. These devices and programs have little autonomy and are updated frequently.
    • Operational technology (OT) refers to the hardware and software used to change, monitor, or control physical devices, processes, and events within a company or organization. This form of technology is most commonly used in industrial settings, and the devices this technology refers to typically have more autonomy than information technology devices or programs. Examples of OT include SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition).
    • => The main difference between OT and IT devices is that OT devices control the physical world, while IT systems manage data.

 

  • SaaS (Software as a Service):
    • Cloud-based service where instead of downloading software your desktop PC or business network to run and update, you instead access an application via an internet browser. The software application could be anything from office software to unified communications among a wide range of other business apps that are available.
    • This offers a variety of advantages and disadvantages. Key advantages of SaaS includes accessibility, compatibility, and operational management. Additionally, SaaS models offer lower upfront costs than traditional software download and installation, making them more available to a wider range of businesses, making it easier for smaller companies to disrupt existing markets while empowering suppliers.
    • The major disadvantage of SaaS applications is that they ordinarily require an internet connection to function. However, the increasing wide availability of broadband deals and high-speed phone networks such as 5G makes this less of an issue. Additionally, some SaaS applications have an offline mode that allows basic functionality.