Since the inception of the Internet of Things concept in 1999, networks connecting hundreds of intelligent objects have become part of everyday life. Different types of sensors receive and transmit data from almost every aspect of life. Numerous examples of the use of IoT in urban spaces were seen in action during the Smart City Expo World Congress, which took place in November 2018 in Barcelona. Bearing in mind the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), which was recently held in Katowice, it is worth considering how technology can help us combat the destructive impact of human activity on the environment.

The Internet of Things is already widely applied in environmental protection. Here we are not only talking about a wide range of sensors that help to monitor the current state of the environment, but also about devices that help minimize the negative impact of the mining industry, by optimizing the extraction of raw materials and extending the lifecycle of the mines through more efficient mining. In this case, the automation of manual data collection and analysis processes leads to lower costs and risk of errors and threats.

Climate policy action was negotiated during this year’s climate summit in Katowice. Now more than ever before, Internet of Things can help you make the right decisions to improve safety and the state of the natural environment. The advantage of these solutions is the ability to collect an unlimited amount of data and analyze it in real time using data analysis tools, such as Power BI. Another important benefit of Internet of Things is the ability to adapt to the right type of network depending on the structure of the sensors.

Examples of the application of Internet of Things in environmental monitoring

  1. Monitoring air quality, the concentration of carbon dioxide and particulate matter, carbon monoxide and ozone in buildings.
  2. Monitoring water in terms of quality, pollution, thermal pollution, chemical leaks, the presence of lead, as well as the level of groundwater and flood conditions.
  3. Soil monitoring in terms of moisture and vibration levels to detect and prevent landslides.
  4. Monitoring forests and protected areas to combat fire risk.
  5. Monitoring the Earth’s crust for early detection of earthquakes or tsunamis.
  6. Monitoring fisheries in order to maintain the fish population and protect against poaching.
  7. Monitoring snowfall at ski resorts and in forests to track weather phenomena and prevent avalanches.
  8. Monitoring temperature and humidity.

The best network for monitoring the environment

Choosing a network for monitoring the environment using Internet of Things is one of the biggest challenges. As long as communication in cities is based on Bluetooth, BLE, WiFi, or Mesh topology, such as ZigBee, it should not be a problem as it is in non-urban areas, where it may not be possible to use such solutions. It is worth paying attention to the M2M and LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Networks) cellular network.

In the case of the former, we have to take into account the limited range in remote areas, as well as the high costs of investment and energy.

LPWAN networks are based on battery-powered sensors, including solar-powered ones. The long battery life allows the sensor to function without additional intervention for up to 10 years. The low power consumption, however, is connected with low data transfer speed, but as a trade-off it’s possible to send small amounts of data over long distances (from 500m to 10km). This solution is ideally suited, for example, for sensors in forests that only send data when smoke is detected. This represents something of a niche, and the investment costs of solutions such as this one may still be too high.

Unfortunately, at this point in time, there is no ideal solution that fully combines Internet of Things solutions with the need to monitor the environment. The most likely scenario will be the use of the 5G network, which will become one of the most important technological trends in the coming years. It has been announced that the first services and mobile devices supporting this standard will be introduced onto the market in 2019.

More on 5G network in the article: Massive & Industrial IoT

Author:
Account Manager

For over 8 years now, she has been supporting companies in making optimal business decisions. For most of her career she has been associated with the ICT industry. At JCommerce she is responsible for the development of cooperation with clients on the Polish market. In her private life, she is an enthusiast of dance theater and contemporary art.

Comment

CONTACT US!

Would you like to learn more about the possibilities of cooperation? Do you have a question? Write to us!

    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for commercial purposes.
    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for marketing purposes.
    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for recruitment purposes.
    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for future recruitment purposes.
    I have been informed by JCommerce Sp. z o.o., 3 Ks. Piotra Sciegiennego St. 40-114 Katowice – the personal data controller – that: - The provision of the aforementioned personal data is voluntary but essential for commercial purposes if I have chosen a request for proposal, or recruitment purposes, if I have chosen the remaining options;
    - I have the right to access the content of my data, including to receive copies of it and correct it, delete it and limit the processing of it, as well as the right to transfer it, the right to object to the processing of it, and the right to withdraw my consent at any time. However, the withdrawal of my consent shall not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out on the basis of the consent in question prior to its withdrawal;
    - A statement of withdrawal of my consent to the processing of personal data should be submitted to the headquarters of JCommerce Sp. z o.o. or sent to the following e-mail address: zgody@jcommerce.pl. The withdrawal of consent to the processing of personal data shall result in the inability to fulfil the aforementioned processing purposes;
    - The personal data provided shall be shared by JCommerce Sp. z o.o. with the company’s authorised employees and individuals collaborating with JC under civil-law contracts, who are involved in the implementation of the purpose of the processing;
    - The data provided shall be processed on the basis of the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), ‘GDPR’;
    - Should you have any questions regarding the protection of your personal data, please contact us by e-mail: odo@jcommerce.pl;
    - The personal data provided shall be processed for the purpose for which it was supplied, or until I express my objection in this regard. In the event of filing an objection, JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall no longer process my personal data for the aforementioned purposes, unless it can demonstrate that there are valid and legally justified grounds overriding my interests, rights and freedoms or my data is necessary to establish, pursue or defend a claim, if any;
    - I have the right to file a complaint to the supervisory authority if I consider that the processing of the aforementioned personal data violates the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016.
    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for commercial purposes.
    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for marketing purposes.
    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for recruitment purposes.
    I hereby agree that JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall process my personal data (hereinafter ‘personal data’), such as my name, surname, e-mail address, telephone number and company name, for future recruitment purposes.
    I have been informed by JCommerce Sp. z o.o., 3 Ks. Piotra Sciegiennego St. 40-114 Katowice – the personal data controller – that: - The provision of the aforementioned personal data is voluntary but essential for commercial purposes if I have chosen a request for proposal, or recruitment purposes, if I have chosen the remaining options;
    - I have the right to access the content of my data, including to receive copies of it and correct it, delete it and limit the processing of it, as well as the right to transfer it, the right to object to the processing of it, and the right to withdraw my consent at any time. However, the withdrawal of my consent shall not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out on the basis of the consent in question prior to its withdrawal;
    - A statement of withdrawal of my consent to the processing of personal data should be submitted to the headquarters of JCommerce Sp. z o.o. or sent to the following e-mail address: zgody@jcommerce.pl. The withdrawal of consent to the processing of personal data shall result in the inability to fulfil the aforementioned processing purposes;
    - The personal data provided shall be shared by JCommerce Sp. z o.o. with the company’s authorised employees and individuals collaborating with JC under civil-law contracts, who are involved in the implementation of the purpose of the processing;
    - The data provided shall be processed on the basis of the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), ‘GDPR’;
    - Should you have any questions regarding the protection of your personal data, please contact us by e-mail: odo@jcommerce.pl;
    - The personal data provided shall be processed for the purpose for which it was supplied, or until I express my objection in this regard. In the event of filing an objection, JCommerce Sp. z o.o. shall no longer process my personal data for the aforementioned purposes, unless it can demonstrate that there are valid and legally justified grounds overriding my interests, rights and freedoms or my data is necessary to establish, pursue or defend a claim, if any;
    - I have the right to file a complaint to the supervisory authority if I consider that the processing of the aforementioned personal data violates the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016.