R4R investigates the integration of renewable power supply systems in the communication access infrastructure to jointly increase network sustainability and resilience. Communication infrastructures, enabled by distributed renewable sources combined with smart algorithms for resource allocation, become sustainable and resilient: a fundamental goal for a society that relies on communications but has to cope with global challenges induced by climate changes.
R4R is part of Spoke 3 – Wireless Networks and Technologies
Project PI: Michela Meo
[M1-M6]
Definition of the reference scenarios, with their constraints.
Tools
Definition of the reference scenarios, with their constraints.
- Business as usual (BAU): Dense urban scenarios that integrate renewable energy solutions.
- Disaster management (DM): Dense urban scenarios in which faults, either due to power supply discontinuity or to the occurrence of disasters that impair the power distribution infrastructure.
- Isolated site (IS): A site in a remote area, or in an emerging region, in which the power infrastructure is not reliable or present.
- Performance and quality of communication services
- Energy consumption and emissions
- Resilience
- A simulation framework for BSs powered through various energy soruces and connected in a micro-grid so that they can exchange energy, if needed.
- A framework for the optimization of power sources of BS sites.
- A preliminary analysis of the impact of network sharing on sustainability.
Tools
- A simulation framework for BSs powered through various energy soruces and connected in a micro-grid so that they can exchange energy, if needed
- A framework for the optimization of power sources of BS sites
- Analysis of failures in a portion of a RAN in operation
- Energy consumption model derived from real data of a portion of a RAN in operation
- Use of reconfigurable reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for sustainability
Resilience
The analysis of the impact of power supply failures on the service continuity of the Radio Access Network (RAN) has shown that equipping Base Stations (BSs) with locally generated energy improves RAN resilience to failures. The analysis considers the presence of photovoltaic (PV) panels with or without energy storage units.
The potential for BSs to share locally produced energy through a micro-grid is not significant if all BSs are equipped with PV panels, since both the demand for electricity and the amount of generated energy are highly correlated. However, when only a few BS sites are generating energy, the presence of a micro-grid is fundamental to increasing resilience.
We are developing strategies for energy sharing among BSs connected in a micro-grid, each with different energy generation or storage capacities.
Resilience is a key objective for inclusive access to communication services. Strategies that optimize the use of locally generated energy in the event of power supply failures increase resilience worldwide, especially in regions with unreliable electricity distribution networks, as well as in areas where the transition to smart grids with distributed renewable sources increases energy generation variability.
Sustainability
The overlap of network infrastructures results in significant energy waste. When traffic demand is low, the overall capacity deployed in an area greatly exceeds demand, especially considering the presence of different operators with different technologies. We are assessing the potential impact on energy consumption reduction and, consequently, the sustainability of using roaming among operators covering the same area.
Reducing the energy required to operate RANs through cooperation among operators contributes to the sustainability of communication services, which in turn helps mitigate climate change.
Scientific outcomes:
L. Badia, A. Gandelli, "A Comparison of Status Update Optimization and Microgrid Management" CGEE (International Conference on Clean and Green Energy Engineering), 2023
D. Renga, M. Ni, M. Ajmone Marsan, M. Meo, "Network Sharing to enable sustainable communications in the era of 5G and beyond," IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC): Green Communication Systems and Networks Symposium, June 2024
A, Cabrera-Tobar, F. Grimaccia, S. Leva, "Energy Resilience in Telecommunication Networks: A Comprehensive Review of Strategies and Challenges" Energies 2023, 16(18)
The analysis of the impact of power supply failures on the service continuity of the Radio Access Network (RAN) has shown that equipping Base Stations (BSs) with locally generated energy improves RAN resilience to failures. The analysis considers the presence of photovoltaic (PV) panels with or without energy storage units.
The potential for BSs to share locally produced energy through a micro-grid is not significant if all BSs are equipped with PV panels, since both the demand for electricity and the amount of generated energy are highly correlated. However, when only a few BS sites are generating energy, the presence of a micro-grid is fundamental to increasing resilience.
We are developing strategies for energy sharing among BSs connected in a micro-grid, each with different energy generation or storage capacities.
Resilience is a key objective for inclusive access to communication services. Strategies that optimize the use of locally generated energy in the event of power supply failures increase resilience worldwide, especially in regions with unreliable electricity distribution networks, as well as in areas where the transition to smart grids with distributed renewable sources increases energy generation variability.
Sustainability
The overlap of network infrastructures results in significant energy waste. When traffic demand is low, the overall capacity deployed in an area greatly exceeds demand, especially considering the presence of different operators with different technologies. We are assessing the potential impact on energy consumption reduction and, consequently, the sustainability of using roaming among operators covering the same area.
Reducing the energy required to operate RANs through cooperation among operators contributes to the sustainability of communication services, which in turn helps mitigate climate change.
Scientific outcomes:
- 16 published papers (5 on journals)
- 1 joint paper (submitted)
- Simulator of portions of RANs powered with renewables
L. Badia, A. Gandelli, "A Comparison of Status Update Optimization and Microgrid Management" CGEE (International Conference on Clean and Green Energy Engineering), 2023
D. Renga, M. Ni, M. Ajmone Marsan, M. Meo, "Network Sharing to enable sustainable communications in the era of 5G and beyond," IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC): Green Communication Systems and Networks Symposium, June 2024
A, Cabrera-Tobar, F. Grimaccia, S. Leva, "Energy Resilience in Telecommunication Networks: A Comprehensive Review of Strategies and Challenges" Energies 2023, 16(18)
Vodafone joined R4R at M13 and started actively collaborating already since M9.
Vodafone has shared data from a portion of their RAN, data report on energy consumption and power supply failures.
A joint study is in progress to:
Vodafone has shared data from a portion of their RAN, data report on energy consumption and power supply failures.
A joint study is in progress to:
- Derive new consumption models
- Assess the potential impact of the presence of renewables and a micro-grid
- Map power supply failures into QoS deterioration
Program partners:
Cascade calls partners:
Can you imagine what would happen if communication services stopped working, even for a short time? This is becoming more frequent due to the high electricity demand stressing the power distribution system, as well as the shortage and rising prices of primary energy sources.
R4R is studying the possibility of equipping communication infrastructures with distributed renewable energy sources. By locally producing electricity independently from the power grid, these infrastructures can become more resilient. R4R's results show that even small solar panels installed at the base stations of cellular systems can make them resilient to typical daytime power failures.
R4R is studying the possibility of equipping communication infrastructures with distributed renewable energy sources. By locally producing electricity independently from the power grid, these infrastructures can become more resilient. R4R's results show that even small solar panels installed at the base stations of cellular systems can make them resilient to typical daytime power failures.
1. Accomplished:
- A report on the state of the art and reference scenarios.
- A living document on the SOTA, research gaps, scenarios and KPIs has been started and it will continuously be updated as the research activities go on.
- Repository of papers as reported in the living document.
- Four papers have been published.
- One joint paper has been submitted.
- A report on a framework for the optimization of power supply.
- A simulator of of portions of RANs powered with renewables
- At least: 6 joint papers; 6 papers of individual partners.
- A tool to simulate different scenarios corresponding to portions of a RAN powered by renewable energy generators.
- Machine-learning algorithms to allocate radio and energy resources with the objective to reduce consumption and cope with failure of power supply systems shared with the scientific community.
- 30% on publications
- 20% on the tool
- 20% on solutions
- Deliverable D1: STATE OF THE ART AND REFERENCE SCENARIOS has been completed at M6.
- Milestone M4 “Framework for the optimization of power supply” has been completed as planned has been completed at M15
- A report on the state of the art and reference scenarios.
- A living document on the SOTA, research gaps, scenarios and KPIs has been started and it will continuously be updated as the research activities go on.
- Repository of papers as reported in the living document.
- 15 papers have been published (5 on journals).
- One joint paper has been submitted.
- A report on a framework for the optimization of power supply.
- A simulator of portions of RANs powered with renewables.
- At least: 6 joint papers; 6 papers of individual partners.
- A tool to simulate different scenarios corresponding to portions of a RAN powered by renewable energy generators.
- Machine-learning algorithms to allocate radio and energy resources with the objective to reduce consumption and cope with failure of power supply systems shared with the scientific community.
- 50% on publications
- 70% on the tool
- 60% on solutions
- Meetings have been performed roughly one per other month, 6 in person or hybrid.
Researchers involved: Two full-time RTDa (at PMI and PTO), roughly 2 years so far cumulated by the other participants of the project.
Collaboration proposals
R4R plans to start new collaborations on topics related to sustainability and resilience, the objective being to answer to the following research questions:
- what is the energy consumption of new telecommunication technologies? are they sustainable in the medium and long term?
- how can different technologies be combined to make the telecommunication infrastructures more resilient?
For any proposal of collaboration within the project please contact the project PI.