A new study by the LoCaT Project has found satellite to be 6 to 8 times more efficient than IP-based methods. The study is an extension to LoCaT’s earlier work into the sustainability of methods used for television distribution.
In 2020, average energy consumption per device viewing hour via satellite was 19.5 Wh, compared to 109 Wh for OTT and 153 Wh for IPTV. DTT was the most efficient at 14 Wh per viewed hour. This corresponds 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, excluding the energy use of the TV set itself.
Aymeric Genty, President of Eutelsat’s Video Business Unit, commented: “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.”
According to the study, over 99% of electricity use in satellite delivery comes from in-home equipment such as LNBs, decoders, and amplifiers, while uplink facilities contribute just 0.1 Wh per hour. The proportion of in-home equipment energy use was between 40% (DTT) and 75% (IPTV) for other methods. Emissions from satellite launches were negligible, accounting for only 0.02 g CO2e per viewed hour.
Energy use and associated emissions from in-home satellite equipment vary significantly depending on factors like the type of decoder used and dwelling type (individual home vs. multi-dwelling unit). These findings suggest that optimizing in-home reception models could reduce satellite’s energy and GHG impacts by up to two- or three-fold.
The study also compared regional differences, finding slightly higher efficiency for satellite TV delivery in North America (19.1 Wh/hour) and substantially higher efficiency in Latin America (10.5 Wh/hour) compared to Europe. However, higher grid carbon factors in these regions mean actual emissions per viewing hour are 8 g CO2e in North America and 4.25 g CO2e in Latin America.
Looking forward, projections suggest unit energy consumption for satellite delivery will rise slightly in Europe by 2035, from 19.5 Wh to 20.4 Wh per viewed hour, tied to trends in linear TV viewing and market share. However, emissions are expected to decrease significantly due to reductions in grid emission factors, from 4.7 g CO2e to 1.3 g CO2e per hour by 2035.
