Reducing the total cost of ownership in radio access networks by using renewable energy resources

Abstract

Increasing electricity prices motivates the mobile network operators to find new energy-efficient solutions for radio access networks (RANs). In this study, we focus on a specific type of RAN where the standalone solar panels are used as alternative energy sources to the electrical grid energy. First, we describe this hybrid energy based radio access network (HEBRAN) and formulate an optimization problem which aims to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of this network. Then, we propose a framework that provides a cost-efficient algorithm for choosing the proper size for the solar panels and batteries of a HEBRAN and two novel switch on/off algorithms which regulate the consumption of grid electricity during the operation of the network. In addition, we create a reduced model of the HEBRAN optimization problem to solve it in a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) Solver. The results show that our algorithms outperform the MILP solution and classical switch on/off methods. Moreover, our findings show that migrating to a HEBRAN system is feasible and has cost-benefits for mobile network operators.

Base Station switching and edge caching optimisation in high energy-efficiency wireless access network

“…The employment of the RES for the power supply of the BSs of RANs has been receiving much attention because it reduces the carbon emissions and of the electricity bill [24,25,26]. Various papers address the critical issue of properly dimensioning RE generation systems to power mobile networks [24,25,26].…”

“…The employment of the RES for the power supply of the BSs of RANs has been receiving much attention because it reduces the carbon emissions and of the electricity bill [24,25,26]. Various papers address the critical issue of properly dimensioning RE generation systems to power mobile networks [24,25,26]. The sizing process brings to a trade off among self-sustainability, cost and feasibility constraints due to the installation of a RE generation system.…”

“…The RE system sizing problem for powering BSs of an heterogeneous RAN is formalised in [24], aiming at the minimisation of costs, and it is solved through an heuristic algorithm. A Markov reward process model is used in [25], to study a BS power system.…”

A Photovoltaic System for Heterogeneous Networks: a Technical, Economic and Environmental Analysis

“…The authors in [38] suggest installing stand-alone solar panels together with the base stations, with the aim of solving an optimization problem and thus reducing the total cost of ownership of the network. With regard to the use of photovoltaic systems in mobile cellular networks, the authors of [39] investigated the feasibility (as well as the simulation) of a solar photovoltaic (PV)/battery hybrid power system (HPS), as a principal source of power for a particular mobile cellular BS site situated in the Soshanguve area of the city of Pretoria, South Africa.…”

Renewable Energy Assisted Function Splitting in Cloud Radio Access Networks

“…The other aims of these papers include reducing the brown energy consumption and carbon emission rates, and traffic load and energy balancing between the base stations [13]. Moreover, some studies concentrate on sizing the renewable energy systems and operating the base stations effectively by using these systems [14,15,16,17]. The problems they attempt to solve are NP-Hard problems, so they introduce several heuristics and methods to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a mobile network operator (MNO).…”