Major mobile carriers like Vodafone and China Mobile identify power amplifiers (PA) as the most energy-intensive component of base stations. Since energy used to run base stations accounts for more than 80% of total network energy use, it is an area of potentially large energy savings.

Why is the sudden focus on PA?

The current generations of PA are not only energy inefficient, they dissipate tremendous heat. Base stations use cooling systems to prevent equipment from overheating, extending battery life and reducing the chance of network failure. This accounts for around a quarter of network energy use. By demanding better PA efficiency, carriers can realize big energy savings.

To save energy and cost, carriers have defined the following objectives:

• Increase energy efficiency of PA, from 9-14% today
• Relocate the PA closer to the antenna, in a system known as remote radio heads.

By placing the power amplifier closer to the antenna, rather than at the foot of the base station, energy loss from power cable is reduced by 40%. Remote radio heads were restricted to small RF power output, plagued by the heavy weight and bigger volume associated with the PA and miscellaneous cooling systems. New generations of highly efficient PA's promise to solve that problem.

See details of sample initiatives launched by carriers below.

Vodafone identifies Power Amplifiers and Remote Radio Heads as means to achieve better energy efficiency

"The energy used to run our network accounts for more than 80% of carbon dioxide emissions from our total energy use…"      Read More

 

China Mobile issues "Corporate Social Responsibility Report".

"We are designing base stations, data centers and offices with energy conservation in mind…"       
Read More

 
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