The rollout of 5G mobile networks promises blazing fast data speeds and connectivity for billions of new Internet of Things devices. However, realizing 5G’s full potential will require major upgrades to make this next-generation wireless technology truly energy efficient.
While 5G specifications call for using 90% less energy per bit of data transmitted compared to 4G, the enormous increase in data volumes means 5G’s total energy footprint is projected to be 150-170% higher than 4G by 2026.
The mobile industry itself expects energy costs to rise substantially with 5G deployments. The problem lies in the fundamental design of existing wireless infrastructure and hardware.
Currently, only about 10-20% of the energy consumed is actually used for data transmission, with the rest wasted as heat and inefficiencies.
With some 5G setups running on older 4G hardware, the energy efficiency can drop to a dismal 1%. “The communication industry has focused on maximizing data speeds, with very little attention paid to energy efficiency,” says Earl McCune, a professor at Delft University of Technology.
“In order to reach 5G’s energy goals, the entire communications chain needs an overhaul.” Part of the inefficiency stems from the century-old wireless paradigm of taking a low-power signal and linearly amplifying it for widespread transmission – a technique that sacrifices efficiency to maintain signal integrity.
New digital amplifier designs could boost efficiency to 70% by moving away from linear amplification. Other upgrades are needed in computing chips, power supplies, and base stations.
For example, separating a chip’s logic circuitry from its memory would allow turning off the logic when not needed, reducing power draw fourfold.
Optimizing power supply responsiveness and having 5G base stations automatically sleep when idle could further slash energy waste.
Improving 5G’s energy intensity is critical both for economic reasons, as operators can’t afford runaway energy costs, as well as environmental ones, since the ICT sector’s carbon emissions are projected to triple to 7% of the global total by 2030, driven partly by 5G growth.
The good news is that while delivering a truly “green 5G” requires rethinking multiple layers of outdated infrastructure and chip design, the technology already exists. What’s needed is greater cross-industry collaboration to rewire mobile networks for the energy-efficient future promised by 5G.
Combined with what we said above, as new data-hungry applications and power-consuming devices emerge to take advantage of 5G’s capabilities, the total energy usage will likely increase.
However, the underlying 5G network itself is designed to be as energy efficient as possible. As we continue developing and utilizing 5G and future wireless technologies, the goal will be to pair their revolutionary performance with responsible energy usage and a reduced carbon footprint.
The energy-saving design aspects of 5G networks are an important step in that direction.
Green 5G Project Initiative by Huawei
Climate change is a global challenge, and 189 countries have joined the Paris Agreement to address it.
China accounts for 36% of global carbon emissions, while China Mobile owns 36% of the world’s 5G base stations.
To reduce their carbon footprint, China Mobile and Huawei initiated the Green 5G project in 2021 with innovative solutions like GreenSight and a digital intelligent energy-saving platform.
Green site solutions include a MetaAAU antenna that reduces power consumption by 30%, ultra-wideband RRUs with 20% lower power use, green outdoor cabinets and solar support.
The digital intelligent energy-saving platform uses AI to reduce energy consumption by 25%.
The Green 5G initiative aims to increase industrial efficiency and reduce emissions across sectors like steel, chemicals and smelting. This project has helped China Mobile’s network reduce energy use by 50%, saving 3.15 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
Moreover, it has helped society reduce over 400 million tonnes of CO2. Over 5 years, it aims to limit China Mobile’s 5G emissions to 56 million tonnes while helping society cut over 1.6 billion tonnes of CO2 through green networks and 5G applications.
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