Network for Digital Economy and Environment
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Collaboratively researching the impacts of the digital economy

The rapid adoption and acceleration of the use of digital technologies is transforming the way we access and process information, impacting the global economy and our social dynamics. These dramatic technological and social changes also have important environmental and energy implications.

This initiative seeks to catalyze and disseminate research across various disciplines on a number of high-priority issue areas at the intersection of energy, environment, and digital platforms.

Please note that this site is a work in progress! We are continually updating and adding new info, and we welcome any suggestions.

Research Topics

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Computation systems with the ability to learn and improve their performance over time are becoming more common. As the scope, complexity, and applications of these self-teaching machine systems expand, they will increasingly influence how we manage energy and the environment.

Blockchain

While the subject of much recent attention, there is little clarity surrounding blockchain’s energy consumption and its potential applications in support of sustainability.

Internet of Things

The objects used for daily activities are increasingly interconnected and internet-capable, enabling the objects to share information with each other and with users, from smart home devices that reduce energy and water consumption, to interconnected agricultural devices equipped with soil quality sensors.

Sharing

Digital sharing platforms such as Lyft, Uber and AirBnB have transformed the economy in numerous ways. Despite their prevalence and scope, we have yet to fully understand how use of these platforms impact a range of important environmental issues.

Resources and Community

14 June 2022

8th International Conference on ICT for Sustainability

The 8th International Conference on ICT for Sustainability is organised by the University of Plovdiv. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will be held in a hybrid form in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and virtually.

Main conference: 14 - 16 …

10 January 2022

National Science Foundation Funds New Project to Coordinate Research Across Disciplines and Countries

National Science Foundation Funds New Project to Coordinate Research Across Disciplines and Countries
January 2022

(Washington, D.C.)—The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $300,000 to the Network on the Digital Economy and the Environment (nDEE)—an initiative of the Environmental Law …

27 July 2021

Grant to Koomey and Masanet leads to publication in Energy Policy

The journal article based on the grant to Koomey and Masanet is now published and online. Check out their article with co-author Nuoa Lei, "Best practices for analyzing the direct energy use of blockchain technology systems: Review and policy recommendations," …

18 October 2020

How Green is the Digital Economy?

nDEE's Dave Rejeski is featured in this piece by Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain. Check out the article and video here.

People

Aidan Smith
UC Berkeley
Dave Rejeski
Environmental Law Institute
Jessie Sugarman
Environmental Law Institute
Kasantha Moodley
Environmental Law Institute
Katie Segal
UC Berkeley
Reid Lifset
Yale University School of the Environment

Projects

Blockchain Technology and the Sustainable Supply Chain: Theoretically Exploring Adoption Barriers image
Blockchain Technology and the Sustainable Supply Chain: Theoretically Exploring Adoption Barriers

While the changes that would result from implementing blockchain solutions are worth studying, we also need to gain a deeper understanding of how these blockchain solutions are to be operated and by whom. For more details and project results, see the full paper and accompanying presentation.

Project leads:
Dr. Sara Saberi, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Dr. Joseph Sarkis, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Investigating the Energy and Environmental Implications of Artificial Intelligence Applications in the Chemical Manufacturing Industry image
Investigating the Energy and Environmental Implications of Artificial Intelligence Applications in the Chemical Manufacturing Industry

This project aims to address the data and analysis gaps by developing a metric-based framework to quantify energy and environmental implications of AI applications in the production of some of the most common energy-intensive chemicals. For more details and project results, see the accompanying presentation.

Project lead:
Dr. Yuan Yao, Yale School of the Environment

Energy Use and Carbon Emissions from E-Commerce: Implications for a Decarbonized Future image
Energy Use and Carbon Emissions from E-Commerce: Implications for a Decarbonized Future

Principal investigator Prof. Miguel Jaller will quantify energy use and carbon emissions in retail distribution arising from recent changes to e-commerce during the pandemic. The research will use a retail sector energy and emissions calculator model, based on life cycle assessment, that incorporates factors such as warehousing, upstream freight, retailing store facilities, packaging, last mile distribution, customer transport, and data centers/computers/networks. Prof. Jaller and his research team will explore changes with respect to distribution structures, and innovations in vehicles, fuels, energy, and distribution technologies, and proposed corporate initiatives and commitments.

Project lead(s):
Dr. Miguel Jaller, University of California, Davis.
Ms. Sarah Dennis, Doctoral Student, University of California, Davis.
Mr. Anmol Pahwa, Doctoral Student, University of California, Davis.

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