5 Steps to 5G Energy Efficiency Success

For telcos, the transition from 4G to 5G provides an exciting opportunity to deliver benefits for society such as advanced telemedicine, ultra-low-latency computing and video, and, eventually, autonomous vehicles. But achieving this vision presents an array of complex challenges. Existing networks must be expanded and rebuilt to meet bandwidth and latency demands. Network density is increasing with new types of sites that feature far more IT equipment than is used today.

Unless interventions are taken, 5G deployment and adoption will cause dramatic increases in energy
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The telecom industry already accounts for nearly 1% of global carbon emissions. As telcos pursue growth through 5G, they must keep sight of sustainability issues that are key priorities for stakeholders and society at large.

STL Partners and Vertiv looked at this looming challenge in a report, Why Energy Management is Key to
5G Success. The report identifies 5 steps telcos can adopt to minimize 5G energy use while achieving growth goals.

5 Steps to Adopt

Step 1. Optimize network technology. 

5G networks will run on millions of servers, mostly in smaller data centers at the edge. To control energy consumption, telcos must deploy hardware and software designed and operated for efficiency. Solutions include power-efficient network hardware, software-based Self-Optimizing Networks (SONs) and AI-based traffic prediction for augmented sleep modes.

Step 2. Ensure efficient facilities infrastructure. 

• New edge data centers need high-performance power, ventilation and cooling systems, such as
  energy-optimized uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems.
• On-site renewables are incorporated into the mix of energy sources.
• Legacy power infrastructure is retrofitted with high-efficiency rectifiers.
• Diesel generators are replaced by on-site renewables, and energy storage transitions from VRLA to lithium-ion batteries that operate at higher temperatures, reducing the energy and costs associated with cooling. 

Step 3. Manage and measure infrastructure performance. 

Use appropriate hardware and software to measure, monitor, manage, improve, and automate, the network. For instance, leverage granular data to improve remote monitoring and management of telco sites to improve energy efficiency. Monitoring temperature and humidity can maximize efficiency of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) of telco sites. 

Remote monitoring ensures that operators can better target — and reduce — routine maintenance visits that increase carbon emissions. When field technicians are needed, they will have better insights about the nature of a given problem, which can help ensure that they complete a repair with 1 visit.

• When combined with predictive analytics, better monitoring reduces indoor cooling when outside temperatures are lower than usual.
• Marginal gains are substantial when aggregated across thousands of sites.