Are green cellular base stations sustainable?

This study presents an overview of sustainable and green cellular base stations (BSs), which account for most of the energy consumed in cellular networks. We review the architecture of the BS and the power consumption model, and then summarize the trends in green cellular network research over the past decade.

How to estimate the cost of building and operating a cellular network?

A simple method for estimating the costs of building and operating a cellular mobile network is proposed. Using the empirical data from a third generation mobile system (WCDMA), it is shown that the cost is driven by different factors depending on the characteristics of the base stations deployed.

How many green cellular Bs are there?

GSMA predicted that the number of green BSs would increase to 389,800 by 2020 [ 8 ], which reflects the growing awareness of cellular network operators about the significant economic and ecological influence of their networks in the coming years. Figure 10. Worldwide deployment of green cellular BSs [ 107 ].

Are cellular network operators moving towards green cellular BS?

Figure 10 reveals that many cellular network operators in the world have still not shifted toward green cellular BS. Most of these operators are located in developing countries with limited electricity supply and unreliable electric grids. The financial issues in these countries must be investigated further. 4.5.

What is a green communication initiative?

The green communication initiative primarily aims to improve the energy efficiency, reduce the OPEX, and eliminate the GHG emissions of BSs to guarantee their future evolution [ 2, 3 ]. Cellular network operators attempt to shift toward green practices using two main approaches.

Is a hybrid PV/DG system suitable for a GSM BS?

Imtiaz et al. [ 118] proposed a hybrid PV/DG system design for a GSM BS. The HOMER simulation results show that 6 kW PV, 2 kW DG, and eight 200Ah batteries comprise the optimal combination of energy system components.