ICTpost Energy Bureau
ICTpost estimates that mobile communications currently represents about 18% of the global ICT sector impact though this could grow to 25% by 2025 through the continued growth in subscribers. This numbers should also be seen in the context of GDP contribution.
About 80% of a mobile operators’ energy is used by the network, so significant efforts are underway to improve efficiency. About half the energy used by the site is for radio transmission purposes and a large proportion of the remaining 50% is associated with active cooling, especially the use of air-conditioning. Operators have reported three-fold increases in the efficiency of radio transmitters in recent years and the move from 4G to 5G communications technologies can support up to eight times more subscribers on each transmitter. In cooler climates there is an increasing move to eliminate air conditioning for base station equipment and instead use fans or passive cooling through better air flow design. Operators in developing countries have successfully run base station equipment at 45 degree C, rather than 25 degree C, and newer equipment is being supplied with specified reliability at these higher temperatures, thus substantially easing cooling needs.
Green Power Opportunity
An increasing number of base stations are being built in off-grid and unreliable grid locations, ICTpost estimates that 83,000 new off-grid sites will be built each year in developing countries through to 2021. It can cost an operator up to $60,000 and lead-times can be up to 2 years to provide grid electricity to a new site. Even where grid electricity is available, it may be unreliable and operators rely extensively on diesel generators to power base stations. There are significant costs not just in the price of diesel but also in transport to sites and provision of security.
As the power required to operate a base station has reduced, the feasibility of alternative energy solutions, especially wind and solar has improved. Wind is harder to predict for power? planning purposes and site surveys are recommended (though not always done) before installation is undertaken. Where feasible, wind can provide sufficient energy for larger sites. Solar power is economical for lower powered sites if used alone or as a complement to wind energy. A significant advantage to solar is easier power planning through readily available databases of incident solar energy for various geographic locations. Typical payback periods for alternative energy installations are 2- 3 years.
Mobile Phones
New phones are becoming more energy efficient, for example, power cells currently in use require fewer resources during manufacture, and avoid the use of toxic metals, such as lead and cadmium. Nevertheless, a phone should never be thrown away with unsorted household? waste. The mobile industry supports handset, battery and accessory take-back in more than 105 countries. When the returned phones are in good condition or economic repair is possible, the phones may find a second or even third happy user. More than 30% of mobile subscribers live in the developing world and there are concerns over the potential for inappropriate disposal of mobile phones where the necessary recycling infrastructure for end-of-life electronic equipment is lacking. In these countries the informal repair sector is significant, so successful collection requires engagement with this informal sector but research to date indicates that there is little awareness of the problems of electronic waste.
Environmental Opportunities?
There are significant environmental opportunities associated with telecommunications. An Australian report estimated carbon reduction opportunities at 4.9% of Australia’s total national emissions. ICT sector’s ability to monitor and maximise energy efficiency both within and outside its own sector could cut CO2 emissions by up to five times ICT’s own footprint, a potential saving of 7.8 giga-tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) by 2023.
Climate change is a significant issue for the wireless industry. The industry needs to reduce the costs associated with use of carbon intensive fuels and the impacts of national carbon? reduction targets. In this context, how operational impacts are measured and the weight to be given to offset benefits in other sectors are still to be determined. editor@ictpost.com
