Are 5G base stations sustainable?

However, due to their high radio frequency and limited coverage, the construction and operation of 5G base stations can lead to significant energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. To address this challenge, scholars have focused on developing sustainable 5G base stations.

How much carbon does a 5G base station produce?

Previous research has estimated that a single 5G base station will produce approximately 30.2 ~ 33.5 tCO 2 eq throughout its life cycle (Ding et al., 2022; Guo et al., 2022a). Consequently, the carbon emissions from 5G base stations in China in 2021 amounted to approximately 49.2 MtCO 2 eq.

What is the equipment composition of a 5G communication base station?

Figure 1 illustrates the equipment composition of a typical 5G communication base station, which mainly consists of 2 aspects: a communication unit and a power supply unit.

Why are micro base stations important in 5G planning?

Micro base stations, on the other hand, are smaller and more flexible, allowing them to supplement the peripheral communication that cannot be covered by macro stations, thereby improving communication quality and capacity. Therefore, micro stations play a critical role in 5G planning.

Can macro base stations be deployed on a large scale?

As 5G operates at a higher frequency than 4G, its coverage capability is lower and the signal penetration is poor, causing significant signal attenuation. Thus, deploying macro base stations on a large scale is not feasible for 5G networks.

What is the energy consumption of 5G communication base stations?

Overall, 5G communication base stations’ energy consumption comprises static and dynamic power consumption . Among them, static power consumption pertains to the reduction in energy required in 5G communication base stations that remains constant regardless of service load or output transmission power.