Since the 1990s, the international community has realized the challenge of climate change for the sustainable development of human society. At the Glasgow climate conference (COP26) held in November 2021, it was agreed that countries would further cut emissions of CO2 to keep temperature rises within 1.5C. Currently, the overall energy usage by the telecoms industry accounts for 2–3% of global energy consumption, according to the GSMA. Meanwhile, energy consumption constitutes between 20–40% of network OPEX. Therefore, it is time for mobile network operators to make a clear commitment to the net zero emission target. The target is not only related to a company’s social responsibility, but also crucial for optimizing operating costs.
A holistic approach is needed to achieve the net zero target. Telecom operators can strive in three dimensions to move toward the target i.e. improving energy efficiency, using renewable energy, and helping customers to reduce carbon emissions. Among the dimensions, the first principle is that it is best to avoid energy consumption. As Vodafone points out, ‘the best MWh is that which isn’t consumed.’
This report discusses seven technical solutions for improving mobile network energy efficiency, including:
- Accelerating the Migration to 5G
- Optimizing Power Amplifier Design
- Extreme Large Antenna Array
- Cooling and Power Supply Enhancements
- Highly Integrated Cell Site Equipment
- Traffic Pattern based Site Energy Saving
- Coordination between Carriers, Cells, and Technologies
In addition to full-stack energy saving solutions, mobile network operators need to make energy efficiency a key performance indicator of their business operations and join with industry partners to promote research and standardization on further improving network energy efficiency.