How AI can help the environment

Source: The post is based on the article “How AI can help the environment” published in Indian Express on 22nd April 2023

What is the News?

Artificial Intelligence(AI) has been touted as a powerful tool to help tackle environmental challenges such as climate change.

What are the ways in which AI can help the environment?

Saving trees with AI: Deforestation and land use changes cause more than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

– A Non-profit organization’s “Guardian” devices attach acoustic monitoring sensors to trees to detect sounds associated with illegal logging.

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.

– Fero Labs’ AI-driven optimization software learns from historical data to recommend the minimum amount of mined ingredients or alloys required in steel production.

Cutting energy waste in buildings: In Hong Kong, energy use in buildings is responsible for about 60% of the city’s carbon emissions. 

– A Design firm has come 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, as well as make predictions for the building’s future energy demand.

Fighting poaching with algorithms: Poaching and habitat destruction caused rhino numbers to dwindle throughout the 20th century. 

– A South Africa-based company 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: A Germany-based startup has developed an AI system that draws on data from solar-powered sensors monitoring the microclimate around crops.

– This data can be used to make precise recommendations about plant health and exactly how much water and fertilizer to use. This can both boost yields and reduce wasted resources.

​​Using computers to plot clouds: Renewable energy is a crucial step in transitioning away from fossil fuels. Solar makes up a bigger share of this energy mix. But when clouds move over solar panels, the power supply can suddenly drop off. 

– To overcome this problem, a nonprofit organization has teamed up with the UK’s National Grid to use AI to provide a precise picture of how clouds develop — the goal being to reduce the reliance on fossil-powered reserves.