Digital tools have made logistics smarter than ever. Real-time tracking, automated warehousing and AI-driven planning help companies cut waste, optimise routes and save time. There is a catch. Every digital process also consumes energy. Behind the dashboards and data flows are thousands of servers, sensors and systems drawing power. To make progress truly sustainable, the sector must look beyond efficiency and manage its digital carbon footprint.
The energy behind smart systems
Every barcode scan, temperature reading and fleet tracker generates data that travels through networks of servers and data centres. As logistics becomes more digital, the energy behind these processes grows too. Cloud storage, AI analytics and Internet of Things networks are now essential, but they demand continuous computing power. A large-scale forecasting model or an always-on dashboard can quietly draw as much electricity as a small warehouse. Without careful choices about how this power is sourced and managed, digital efficiency risks becoming digital waste.
How to keep digital growth green
Sustainability in logistics is no longer only about fuel or packaging. The digital layer matters just as much. These actions help turn smart systems into low-energy systems.
Choose greener infrastructure. Partner with data-centre providers that run on renewable energy and publish efficiency figures such as Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).
Right-size your systems. Prefer smaller, task-specific AI models instead of large general models. Cache results and lower refresh rates where this does not affect service.
Process data locally. Use edge computing to filter information near its source, then send only what is useful to the cloud. This reduces both energy use and bandwidth.
Manage data storage. Set clear lifecycle rules. Move older data to cold storage or delete it after a set period rather than keeping everything forever.
Build awareness. Train staff in energy-aware data practice, including sensible sampling, compression and retention.
These measures help companies lower their digital energy demand and often save money at the same time.
Learning from practice
Across Europe, logistics firms are tackling the digital side of sustainability. Some are moving analytics to data centres powered by renewable energy. Others are cutting compute by right-sizing AI models and reducing dashboard refresh rates. Many are adding edge computing to process data on site, which lowers data-transfer energy. Companies such as Italtrans and Fiege use automation not only for productivity but to improve working conditions showing how digital choices can support responsible practice as well as efficiency.
A smarter future
Digital progress should cut emissions, not shift them. As logistics becomes more data-driven, cleaner power, leaner models and smarter data use will be key to keeping the sector green.
Learn more about sustainable logistics practices in the EARTH Project’s Good Practice Compendium and Starter Kit:Starter Kit and Good Practice Compendium EN | Innovating 4 Earth
This article is part of the Innovating 4 Earth blog series. Read more at: Blogs | Innovating 4 Earth