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CO₂-Fußabdruck von IT-Hardware
When it comes to IT, many people think of power consumption. For notebooks, smartphones and monitors, however, what is often decisive for the climate is something else: their manufacturing. Anyone who wants to understand the CO₂ footprint of their IT hardware therefore has to look at a device’s entire life path, from raw material extraction to decommissioning.
In brief
The CO₂ footprint of IT hardware is the sum of the greenhouse gas emissions that a device causes over its lifecycle, converted into CO₂ equivalents. It covers raw materials, manufacturing, transport, use and disposal. For notebooks, smartphones and many other end devices, the largest share comes from manufacturing, which is why longer use or reuse clearly reduces the footprint per year of use.
What the CO₂ footprint is made up of
Experts speak of the product carbon footprint (PCF). It is measured in CO₂ equivalents (CO₂e), which also include other greenhouse gases, converted to their climate impact relative to CO₂. Methodological foundations include the ISO 14067 standard and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Product Standard. Both build on Environmental footprint .
| Life phase | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Raw materials and manufacturing | Mining, chip production, displays, circuit boards, batteries, assembly |
| Transport | Routes from the factory to the company |
| Use | Power consumption during the period of use |
| End of life | Refurbishment, recycling or disposal |
The emissions from manufacturing are already embedded in the device when it is delivered. This share is often also described as embodied energy . Many manufacturers publish product environmental reports for their models with a PCF value and the distribution across the life phases.
Why the period of use matters so much
A study by the Öko-Institut and the Fraunhofer IZM, commissioned by the German Environment Agency, examined this for notebooks. Assuming five years of use, just under 56% of greenhouse gas emissions came from manufacturing. According to this study, a new notebook that uses 10% less electricity would have to be used for 33 to 89 years before the emissions of its manufacturing are offset by the lower consumption (UBA-Texte 44/2012).
It follows that the most effective lever lies not in replacing devices with more efficient ones but in using them for as long as possible, in your own company or afterwards with another user. A refurbished device that continues to be used as a refurbisheditem replaces, in the best case, the production of a new one.
Rule of thumb: for IT hardware, the most climate-friendly device is often the one that already exists.
Accounting in the company
In a company’s carbon footprint, purchased IT devices count among the indirect emissions of the upstream supply chain, that is, Scope 3. The system of the three scopes is explained in the entry Scope 1, 2 and 3. How to record IT hardware in the Scope 3 inventory is shown in our guide Scope 3 emissions of IT hardware. An honest look at your own IT is offered by the article How green is your IT really?
For the ESG reporting you need reliable data: which devices were used for how long and what happened to them in the end. Proof of reuse and recycling is part of it.
CO₂ footprint and Second IT
Second IT extends the use of IT hardware: after certified data erasure, devices are tested, repaired, refurbished and remarketed. What can no longer be used is recycled professionally. Customers receive recycling and disposal proofs for their CSR and ESG reporting and, on request, an annual, individual environmental balance. Data erasure runs on green electricity, including from around 100 kWp of own solar capacity. More on Disposal with proofs for ESG reporting.
Frequently asked questions about the CO₂ footprint of IT hardware
How large is the CO₂ footprint of a laptop or smartphone?
That depends heavily on the model, specifications and calculation method. You will find reliable values in the manufacturers’ product environmental reports. These usually also state the share of manufacturing, which for notebooks and smartphones typically makes up the largest part.
Does a new, more efficient device save CO₂?
Usually only after a very long time. Because manufacturing causes the largest share of emissions, lower electricity costs rarely make up for it within a typical period of use.
Does a used device count for less in the carbon footprint?
That depends on the accounting method chosen. From an environmental perspective: if an existing device continues to be used, no new one has to be manufactured for that use. Clarify the method with those responsible for your carbon footprint.
What does CO₂e mean in the IT footprint?
CO₂e stands for CO₂ equivalents. Besides CO₂, it includes other greenhouse gases, converted to their climate impact relative to CO₂. This allows a device’s footprint to be stated as a single number.
In which scope does purchased IT hardware count in the carbon footprint?
In Scope 3. Purchased IT devices belong to the indirect emissions of the upstream supply chain. For notebooks and smartphones, manufacturing usually causes the largest share, not electricity consumption during use.
Use longer instead of manufacturing new, with proofs for your ESG reporting.
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