The LoCaT Project's latest research demonstrates that satellite technology significantly outperforms IP-based alternatives in energy efficiency, achieving 6 to 8 times better results. This builds upon LoCaT’s previous investigations into sustainable television distribution methods.
In 2020, the average energy consumption for a single hour of satellite TV viewing was 19.5 Wh, contrasting sharply with 109 Wh for OTT and 153 Wh for IPTV. DTT emerged as the most energy-efficient option at 14 Wh per hour. This translates to 4.7 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO2e) per hour for satellite, compared to 26.2 g for OTT, 37 g for IPTV, and 3.3 g for DTT. These figures exclude the TV set's energy consumption.
Aymeric Genty, President of Eutelsat’s Video Business Unit, stated: “Satellite delivers around one-third of all TV viewing hours in European homes, underscoring its continued importance in the broadcast ecosystem. The confirmation of satellite’s high energy efficiency reinforces its value – not just in reach and reliability, but also in sustainability.”
Alberto Sigismondi, CEO at Tivu, added: “We are very pleased with these results which comfort Tivu in its choice of maximizing usage of DTT and DTH, the two most energy efficient TV delivery methods, to deliver advanced services to Italian viewers.”
The study reveals that over 99% of electricity usage in satellite delivery is attributed to home equipment (LNBs, decoders, amplifiers), with uplink facilities contributing a negligible 0.1 Wh per hour. Other methods show a much higher reliance on in-home equipment, ranging from 40% (DTT) to 75% (IPTV).
Emissions from satellite launches were minimal (0.02 g CO2e per viewed hour). The study also notes considerable variation in energy consumption based on decoder type and housing (individual vs. multi-dwelling units), suggesting potential for significant reductions through optimization of in-home reception.
Regional differences were also observed, with slightly higher efficiency in North America (19.1 Wh/hour) and considerably higher efficiency in Latin America (10.5 Wh/hour) compared to Europe. However, regional grid carbon factors influence overall emissions, resulting in 8 g CO2e in North America and 4.25 g CO2e in Latin America per viewing hour.
Future projections indicate a slight increase in satellite energy consumption in Europe by 2035 (from 19.5 Wh to 20.4 Wh per hour), linked to linear TV viewing trends. However, emissions are projected to significantly decrease due to anticipated grid emission factor reductions, falling from 4.7 g CO2e to 1.3 g CO2e per hour by 2035.