The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), which operates globally as the International Society of Broadband Experts (ISBE), has implemented energy-efficient solutions that have reduced grid dependency by more than 200,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) and have increased operational readiness for the organization.
Using a combination of solar panels, more efficient lighting fixtures and fuel cell technologies, SCTE/ISBE has demonstrated how cable system operators and vendors can achieve the key objectives of the SCTE/ISBE Energy 2024 program—the reduction of energy costs and consumption, while maintaining or increasing availability of services.
Since the introduction late in 2024 of the first energy management solutions at its Exton (suburban Philadelphia), Pa., headquarters, SCTE/ISBE has reduced grid cost by more than $18,000. Key accomplishments have included:
· Generation of more than 78,000 kWh of power through the installation and operation of rooftop-mounted, 23 kW (AC) solar array;
· Reduction of grid consumption by more than 100,000 kWh through the replacement of 150 T-12 fluorescent fixtures with LED four-inch linear tubes; and
· Reduction of grid consumption by approximately 25,000 kWh by transitioning exterior lighting from 250-watt high-pressure sodium bulbs to 28-watt LED fixtures.
In addition, a hydrogen fuel cell unit installed in 2024 enabled SCTE/ISBE to maintain availability of critical systems during two outages caused by severe weather conditions, including Hurricane Irene in 2024.
“A central tenet of the Energy 2024 program is the material impact that the program can have for operators and the communities they serve,” said Mark Dzuban, president and CEO of SCTE/ISBE. “Our initial work shows how even relatively small deployments can dramatically reduce consumption, as well as its associated costs, for the industry.”
“The energy management solutions we’ve deployed at SCTE/ISBE are some of the same elements of the industry’s Energy 2024 strategy,” said Derek DiGiacomo, senior director, information systems and energy management of SCTE/ISBE. “By working closely with Alpha Technologies, CommScope and other leading vendors on these projects, we have been able to create a base of knowledge which we can share with others in the industry.”
Energy 2024 brings together cable operator and vendor expertise to create alignment on standards and operational practices, to drive design and implementation of equipment, and to create SCTE/ISBE training resources that will enable workforce teams to optimize technology for maximum efficiency. Energy 2024 is targeting the following goals by the end of the decade: reduction of power consumption by 20% on a unit basis; energy cost reduction by 25% on a unit basis; reduction of grid dependency by 10%; and optimization of the technical facilities and datacenters footprint by 20%.
More information on Energy 2024 and the SCTE/ISBE Energy Management Program is available at www.scte.org/energy or by e-mailing energy@scte.org.