A recent government-commissioned study has highlighted the potential environmental benefits of reading books digitally to help the United Kingdom achieve its net-zero emissions target. The research, initiated during Ed Miliband’s tenure as energy secretary and released on July 29, analyzed the energy consumption differences between physical book production and digital reading.

The study found that producing and binding a standard 90,000-word book consumes approximately 5.2 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy. In contrast, reading the same book on an e-reader device such as Amazon’s Kindle requires only about 0.003 kWh—roughly 1,500 times less energy. The report suggests that digitalization of certain activities, including reading, could contribute to reducing overall electricity use in the UK, thereby assisting in the government’s net-zero objectives.

Commissioned by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (Desnz) and conducted by consultancy Europe Economics, the research aimed to evaluate how innovations in data centers and artificial intelligence might support energy savings in homes and workplaces. While the analysis pointed to the energy savings associated with e-books, Desnz stressed that the report did not recommend replacing physical books with digital ones but rather explored the potential impact on electricity consumption if such a shift occurred in the future.

The findings have elicited mixed reactions. Claire Coutinho, shadow energy secretary, criticized the government’s focus on encouraging digital reading as a climate measure. She argued that the Department for Energy should prioritize addressing broader issues that affect consumers, particularly expressing concerns over energy bills linked to the government’s Clean Power 2030 strategy.

This study adds to ongoing discussions about how lifestyle changes and emerging technologies might play a role in the UK’s plans to reduce carbon emissions. As policymakers weigh various approaches, the digital transition in media consumption represents one of many avenues under consideration to lower the environmental footprint across different sectors.