Energy Curve Report

Firstly, Ericsson presents its new  Breaking the Energy Curve report. It updates advice to communications service providers about how they can become more energy-efficient. Be sustainable, and cost-effective as they scale up 5G . While achieving business goals and sustainability targets.

Secondly,  the first edition estimated the annual global energy cost for running mobile networks at about USD 25 billion. With the actual economic challenges, the energy crisis and surging inflation, that number is now expected to rise.

Thirdly,  CSPs will need to be more efficient and sustainable in running their networks.

As global deployments of 5G connectivity continue, the benefits of an energy-conscious, future-proof portfolio are becoming more evident. However, it is also clear that the major energy consumption savings such a portfolio delivers across the network can also be strengthened by other actions.

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Networks, Ericsson.

The executive remarked, the  cannot continue with a ‘business as usual’ approach.They must take advantage of wider network changes and modernization as opposed to piecemeal swap-outs. The company must utilize the latest advances in technology to enable energy-saving functionalities and consider the best use of its energy sources.

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5G technology

In addition, 5G has been deployed globally in more than 200 networks since the previous edition of the report. Also, the report outlines three steps on how to scale up 5G with sustainability top-of-mind and reduce the total network energy consumption by challenging the traditional industry approach.

Plan differently – focus on a sustainable network evolution; embrace a holistic view of company targets and network realities to allow for network planning and operation supporting business and sustainability ambitions.

Deploy differently – effectively modernizing the existing network is essential when scaling 5G to reduce the mobile network’s total energy contemption.

Operate differently – leverage artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and automation to maximize traffic performance of deployed hardware with minimized energy use.

Mobile network and energy

However, radio access network (RAN) products and solutions consume the most energy across a mobile network. As a result, the report highlights the need for CSPs to continually prioritize RAN energy savings as new energy-efficient product generations are released.

Additionally, the report recommends taking a holistic view of network evolution, expansion and operation to break the upward trajectory of energy consumption of mobile networks.

Finally, it is a guide on how to be more energy-efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective. While extending the reach and benefits of 5G with new and advanced use cases, thus helping CSPs achieve the overall goal;  the projected *Net Zero state by 2050.

Download the full report here.

Net Zero

Moreover, the ICT industry plays a decisive role in enabling the critical and exponential climate action demanded today by investors and regulators and has the potential to reduce total global industrial emissions by up to 15 percent.

Also, these demands are spurred on by intensifying pressures from consumers, customers and the wider supply chain.

Finally, to meet the demands and align with the global 1.5°C ambition1;  businesses must adopt a full value-chain approach to setting climate targets according to a Net Zero timeline, with a commitment to halve total emissions by 2030. They also have to reach a Net Zero state by 2050. For this, it is important to reduce energy consumption and break the curve.