Total 25% savings in energy consumption & cost with 5-10% potential saving on short term basis with deployment of AIML solutions.
The Executive Summary slide presentation of the Moonshot Catalyst M23.0.584 Green and Efficient Radio Access Networks is now available as PDF document. THE CHALLENGE: Communications Service Providers are estimated to generate between 2% and 3% of Global Energy demand and consumption in the process of running their Networks and providing service to customers. A significant improvement in industry-wide energy efficiency or adoption of mechanisms for energy optimization would not only improve margins for Operators, but would also improve quality of life for employees, customers, and citizen stakeholders alike. Through this catalyst, we plan to show how improvements to and evolution of Radio and Antenna hardware, as well as implementation of AI/ML initiatives in Radio Access Networks can drive 25%+ savings in RAN Energy consumption. Energy demand from telecom industry, empirical data & expectations: https://www.environmentalleader.com/2021/02/telecoms-to-triple-electricity-consumption-boosting-growth-of-distributed-energy-generation/ Empirical data on global energy demand: https://ourworldindata.org/energy-production-consumption#how-much-energy-does-the-world-consume THE SOLUTION: Through this catalyst, Operators & vendors highlighted solutions in 3 categories, including Radio Hardware improvements - the efficiencies gained as new radios replace older versions still in Operation, Antenna Hardware improvements - the efficiencies gained as antennas are designed for higher performance, and AI/ML initiatives and closed-loop automation in near real-time and non real-time. For Radio Improvements, Operators showed dual-band to tri-band replacements, where the newer Radios can more efficiently switch across bands and power down unnecessary bands when not in use. For Antenna improvements, Operators showed high-performance antennas with less loss than previous generations. For AI/ML opportunities, vendors & operators demonstrated programs like dynamic power down of radios or outlier detection for energy consumption at cell sites. Operators have shown varying levels of success in these areas, with field results and simulations showing potential for savings of 20%-25%, 10%-15%, and 5%-10%, respectively, across different vendors and operators. EXPECTED IMPACT: A clear and consistent industry-wide approach to energy demand management and optimization for both Digital Service providers as well as supporting vendors has the potential to offer outsized returns for both parties, along with the society stakeholders they serve. Successful implementation and adoption of the opportunities identified in this catalyst and broader AI/ML initiatives for Radio Access Networks could impact nearly 60% of Operator energy usage, given that 90% of Operator Energy Consumption can be attributed to Network & Technology, and ~70% of that can be attributed to Radio Access Network equipment. This catalyst highlights various initiatives ranging from Radio hardware efficiency, Antenna hardware evolution, and AI/ML programs and initiatives, from Operators and Vendors. These initiatives have potential for driving significant savings of 20%-25%, 10%-15%, and 5%-10%, respectively, as demonstrated by Operators and vendors throughout this catalyst. THE COLLABORATION: This Catalyst for RAN Energy Efficiency has been a great opportunity to see some of the biggest names in the industry come together and highlight unique and innovative ways each is working to solve energy efficiency challenges. The Mobile Network Operators who participated in the catalyst all brought exciting and varying methods for improving efficiency, ranging from technology evolution in both the radios and antennas used by Operators to closed-loop, near real-time, and non real-time algorithms for AI/ML efficiency enhancements. The supporting vendors also brought about significant experience and opportunities, highlighting solutions used across Operators that could prove sufficiently valuable if deployed across the industry. It has been an absolute pleasure working with industry experts from Operators including Telenor, Verizon, Vodafon, Orange, and China Mobile, as well as partners including Ericsson, Huawei, Google, CapGemini, and ZTE.
Executive Summary Presentation - Green and Efficient Radio Access Networks
Catalyst summary infographic
Green radio networks dovetail capability and energy efficiency
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