Globally, the energy bill for mobile networks is in fact about 25 billion dollars a year, but it is estimated that it will rise together with the growth of data traffic from mobile devices, which will quadruple between now and 2025.
The evolution of the scenario therefore pushes the entire sector to seek new solutions capable of minimizing energy consumption, with the dual objective of reducing polluting emissions into the environment and operating costs.
New frontier in 5G
In this regard, Ericsson’s “Breaking the energy curve” model should be mentioned, which allows mobile operators to obtain significant energy efficiencies in the implementation of their 5G networks. “If the new generation of mobile telephony is implemented in the same way as previous generations, the growing traffic demand will lead to further growth in energy consumption,” Mats Pellbäck Scharp, global head of sustainability at Ericsson recently stressed.
Breaking the energy curve
“Breaking the energy curve” instead aims to “break the energy curve” by addressing the various components of the network in a holistic way, focusing among other things on the modernization of existing networks with new, more energy-efficient technologies, on the construction of a precise 5G that minimize waste, as well as adopt software features for energy saving (the “sleep mode” function alone can reduce energy consumption by up to 15% without any impact for the end user) and acting with targeted actions on the infrastructural front , thanks also to the support of artificial intelligence solutions.
In this approach, the collaboration between the various players that make up the mobile telephone supply chain becomes fundamental because it allows to enhance the skills and abilities of each one, aiming for a result that allows this sector to achieve the net-zero goal.
The path of collaborations
A concrete example of the results that can be obtained comes from Vodafone together with Ericsson, which after implementing the 5G network in central London found a reduction in energy consumption in the order of 43% as regards the daily average and up to 55% in the off-peak hours, compared to the previous generation of radio technology. This first result is part of a collaboration agreement between the two companies, which now provides for the implementation of 1,500 plants in the UK by April 2022, thus contributing to the reduction of energy consumption without compromising performance.
In addition to improving the energy efficiency of the plants, Vodafone and Ericsson are also experimenting with the use of drones to minimize the environmental impact generated by inspections of the network equipment, necessary for their maintenance. The ambitious commitments and concrete actions for the climate earned Ericsson the Planet Award 2021, an award given for the first time by Vodafone to the most sustainable partner.
In an attempt to reach the zero emissions target by 2040, the operator Deutsche Telekom has also set itself the ambitious goal of reducing direct and indirect emissions, and obtaining 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources. Hence the collaboration with Ericsson to power the radio site of Dittenheim, in Germany, also with solar energy. This is an important step, because in Europe solar modules had never been used to power a mobile network in service. The total energy consumption of the radio site in question is 21,000 kWh per year, which equates to approximately 60 kWh per day. The 12sqm solar panels and the new technological solutions put in place have allowed an average solar energy harvest of 11.5 kWh per day in June, increasing to 15.1 kWh on sunny days. In July 2021, solar panels contributed 14% of the site’s overall power on average, peaking at 83% between 12pm and 2pm.