Mobile Energy Efficiency: a Latin American perspective

With global energy spend by mobile operators at $15 billion a year, mobile network operators are increasingly seeing energy efficiency as a high strategic priority. As mobile use increases, so does the demand for energy, particularly by network infrastructure.

Carbon emission reductions are also becoming a priority in the telecoms and IT industries together with the aim of reducing pollution by decreasing levels of diesel usage.

mee logoIn this context, the GSMA launched the Mobile Energy Efficiency (MEE) initiative in 2010 to help MNOs measure and monitor the relative efficiency of their networks. The service identifies underperforming networks and quantifies the potential efficiency gains available, which are typically around 10-25 per cent across an MNO’s portfolio. Carbon emissions are also benchmarked if requested.

To date over 40 mobile network operators have participated in the benchmarking, accounting for more than 200 networks across 160 countries and over 50 per cent of global mobile subscribers.

MEE Optimisation is a complementary GSMA service which uses site audits and equipment trials to analyse the costs and benefits of specific actions to reduce energy and emissions, and roll out the most attractive solutions. The service is run in partnership with one of the GSMA’s Technology Partners, which are Ericsson, Purcell Systems and Enertika.

Energy reduction brings a number of benefits:

  • Cost reduction: Mobile operators are all looking to cut their operating costs, and energy cost reduction is an important focus area
  • Increased energy security: this is a particular problem in developing countries which energy efficiency can help
  • Environmental improvement: energy reduction can cut point of use air pollution as well as decreasing carbon emissions, and therefore help in the fight against climate change.

MEE in Latin America: Telefónica Uruguay saves US$ 5.4 million with free cooling

 

With more than 1.8 million mobile connections, Telefónica Uruguay is one of the largest mobile operators in the country and has participated in the GSMA’s Mobile Energy Efficiency Benchmarking service as part of Telefónica Group’s energy and carbon strategy. The MNO managed to cut costs, helping to mitigate the effect of rising electricity prices, which increased approximately 40 per cent in real terms from 2002 to 2012.

mee1As a first step Uruguay’s environmental conditions were evaluated and a mathematical model was created to simulate annual variability, taking into consideration air inlet at a maximum temperature of 20°C and air outlet temperature at 25°C. The result of this study indicated that the free air cooling solution was viable and could be used all year round in indoor cell sites, as well as in the switch sites, that are located in mild regions of the country with few humid days.

Telefónica Uruguay trialled this solution as well as others including free water cooling in switch sites, deployment of capacitor banks, installation of more efficient UPSs and optimisation of power tariffs by matching power needs to actual demand.

The installation of free cooling saved on average 27 per cent of indoor cell site energy consumption and 25 per cent at switch sites. Telefónica Uruguay implemented free air cooling in 85 per cent of indoor cell sites which cumulatively saved 30 GWh of electricity, US$ 4.5 million and 9,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide (TCO2e). The free air and water cooling solutions deployed at two mobile switch sites have saved 6 GWh of electricity, US$ 0.9 million and 1,800 TCO2e of carbon emissions giving cumulative savings of 36 GWh of electricity, US$ 5.4 million (at 2012 prices) and 10,900 TCO2e of carbon emissions.

The Jamaican case: Next generation power saving technology shows expected annual cost savings of US$ 1.4 million for Digicel Jamaica

 

Serving two million customers, Digicel Jamaica is the flagship Digicel franchise in the Caribbean region. The company has committed itself to reducing energy costs as well as taking numerous steps to become a truly green company such as cutting its carbon footprint.

These efforts were significantly boosted by the deployment of eVolution Networks’ Smart Energy Solution (SES) in May 2012, allowing Digicel to reduce energy consumption across its network of base stations in Jamaica. In order to measure and monitor energy savings, Digicel used smart electricity meters in over 450 cell sites across the country. Digicel analysed measurements from various base station models with multiple configurations and different product generations. Based on multiple readings over several weeks, the data showed that SES had successfully reduced the energy consumption of the base stations it deactivated between midnight and 6am by an average of 32 per cent.

The deployment of the system between midnight and 6am across 450 cell sites realised annual energy savings of US$ 450,000 and Digicel expects the expansion in SES operating hours to a 24/7 basis to save up to US$ 1.4 million annually, while simultaneously reducing the company’s carbon footprint by 1,900 TCO2 per year.

At the time Digicel said that since deploying eVolution’s SES they were able to drastically reduce their energy consumption at the base station level. SES was simple to roll-out and they began to immediately recognise reductions in energy use. The solution fitted seamlessly into their network and allowed them to cut their carbon footprint while continuing to provide uninterrupted service at the highest levels of quality.

Unreliable power supply: Vodafone Romania saves energy with an innovative cooling solution

 

Energy savings are also key in the context of an unreliable power supply system which, even when electricity prices are low, can lead to a significant increase in energy costs. This is the case in much of Latin America, as it is in Romania, where a number of lessons have been learned.

Although the grid infrastructure in Romania covers most of the population, electricity supply to rural areas suffers from frequent interruptions and, as a result, assuring the stability of supply to the network is critical. In addition to this, similarly to much of Latin America, Romania’s climate includes hot humid summers, providing a challenge to site cooling.

In line with the GSMA’s MEE Benchmarking service, in 2011Vodafone Romania started implementing an “economiser”, an innovative free cooling system that provides indirect free cooling to buildings which already have air conditioning systems. Because of the low power price, keeping capex low is particularly important in Romania and so the economiser was built by reusing materials and components that were available onsite.

Since December 2011 the economiser system has reduced energy consumption by almost 150 MWh per year and decreased maintenance costs. In one building alone this system has resulted in annual cost savings of US$ 16,700 and carbon emission reductions of 54 TCO2e.

Managing energy in low population, high temperature areas: Telstra Australia saves US$ 1.5 million annually

 

Vast areas of Latin America, located for example in Brazil and Mexico, are troublesome in terms of energy management due to their particular combination of high temperatures and low population density and size.

In this context, the experience of Telstra in Australia and their work to improve site cooling provides an interesting case study. Due to Australia’s climate and geography, energy costs are also significant on a per customer basis. Eight years ago the energy use associated with cooling was approaching 50 per cent of overall network power consumption.

Telstra has implemented several initiatives that have resulted in a reduction in running costs of approximately 60 per cent at sites where the full solution has been applied. The four main initiatives used were:

  • Installation of ‘economy cycle cooling fans’ in mobile equipment buildings to provide fresh air cooling
  • Use of high temperature VRLA batteries
  • Modification of air-conditioning controls and increasing mobile equipment operational temperatures from 25°C to 32°C
  • Installation of purpose-built ‘Process Coolers’ as a replacement to traditional air conditioners

The mobile air-conditioning load reduction strategy, implementing the first three initiatives simultaneously, achieves typical annual energy savings of 5,610 kWh per mobile building.

The installation of Process Coolers at some of the Telstra mobile sites has further improved the overall efficiency of the cooling system, resulting in an additional 30 per cent reduction in air-conditioning power consumption at these locations. After implementing all four initiatives the average air-conditioning power consumption is typically 5,190 kWh per year. Over a two year period Telstra implemented these initiatives in 1,200 cell sites and saved 6,700 MWh, resulting in annual cost savings of US$ 1.5 million and carbon emission reductions of 6,700 TCO2e. These energy reduction initiatives apply to all new site builds and as part of an on-going energy reduction retrofit program to older locations.

How can the GSMA help you?

 

The initiatives in Uruguay, Jamaica, Romania and Australia seen here will be relevant to many Latin American areas and could easily be rolled out in various countries whilst taking into account the geographical and economic context.
If you have not joined already then now is the time to sign up for the MEE Benchmarking service. By joining, you will be able to:

  • Anonymously compare your network energy against other operators globally and in the same country
  • Receive a 60-page Powerpoint report with the benchmarking results and insights on how to improve efficiency
  • Benefit from unique normalisation analysis enabling like-for-like comparison of network energy.

You could also decide to undertake a MEE Optimisation project with one of our Technology Partners Ericsson, Purcell Systems and Enertika to reduce energy costs and emissions.

For further information please visit us at www.gsma.com/mee or email Mark Anderson at [email protected].