去碳化计算：一种善的力量

Decarbonising compute: a power of good INSIGHT SPOTLIGHT September 2023 Decarbonising the telecoms industry and its supply chainis a full-stack initiative, meaning all the layers that go intocompute, network operations and services usage. Overthe last two years, much of the attention on sustainability The compute portion of the stack, however, has garneredless visibility, a fact that belies its importance consideringthe network and cloud infrastructure it powers, whichcollectively make up 2–3% of global energy use. This It starts at the chip layer Analysis Chipsets are the bedrock of computing because they power thedevices people use and the network processing to use thesedevices. Improvements to chipsets are taking shape in severalways. The biggest improvement is adjustments to processingpower so that it is dynamic. Before 5G and some of theadvanced cloud compute processing, which are now requiredfor high-bandwidth/low-latency loads, processing was done on aone-size-fits-all basis. This has changed so that compute can Value-chain picture: 1% is a little of a lot To understand the value of energy efficiencies at the chip layerof the value chain, we need to understand the broader picture ofenergy consumption in computing overall. Globally, we estimatethat access networks, including cellular (2G, 3G, 4G and 5G)and fixed line (ADSL, fibre and cable), account for just over 1%of energy consumption. This only covers networks and theassociated power and does not include devices plugging into A more detailed breakdown is as follows: These improvements have a direct flow-through effect on theaccess networks and cloud operators, including their respectiveenergy footprints. This is important because most net-zerotimelines have a target of 2050. While this may seem far away,hitting this target will require a 50% reduction in CO2emissions •Share of total global energy consumption: oMobile and fixed access networks: 1.1%oCloud data centres: 1.3% •Share of total global CO2 oMobile and fixed access networks: 0.3%oCloud data centres: 0.3% 1% of energy consumption may sound small, particularly incomparison to the energy consumption of other industries, suchas manufacturing, transportation or power (and, importantly, theshare of carbon emissions is lower for both telcos and cloudgroups at around 0.3% each because of a higher use ofrenewables, which is a cleaner source of energy than gridpower or diesel). However, the 1% is a small share of a bignumber, as global electricity usage is around 27,000 terrawatt Source: GSMA Intelligence Implications Mobile operators Cloud companies and hyperscalers •Refresh cycles are key –The cost rationale forefficiencies is clear. Energy still comprises 20–40% of opexfor an average operator. The network accounts for 90% ofenergy consumption, and within that the RAN takes uparound 75%. As such, prioritising upgrades to the RAN has •Aglass half-full or half-empty view on energyconsumption –That data centres account for 1.3% ofglobal energy consumption can be viewed through a moreoptimistic or pessimistic lens. On the one hand, the use ofrenewables means the CO2footprint of data centres isproportionately lower than energy consumption. It alsohighlights that hyperscalers are introducing otherimprovements to drive down consumption overall, including •A holistic approach is necessary –Reducing energyconsumption in a 5G network is one thing; reducing energyconsumption for an operator overall to reach net zero isquite another. This is because multiple infrastructurecomponents contribute to energy usage. Sunsetting 2G •Using PPAs to support the renewables push –Data-centre operators are among the fastest in transitioning torenewable power. Microsoft, for example, has committed to100% renewables use by 2025 for all operations, which willbe achievable through direct energy sourcing and powerpurchase agreements (PPAs). AWS has made the samecommitment for the same time frame. However, the •The future is now –With a 50% reduction in CO2needed for each decade until 2050 to hit net zero, thefuture is now. Working with vendors and chipset partners innetwork design and planning means energy savings can be‘baked in’ before deployment. This will be critical, Related reading Author Tim Hatt, Head of Research and ConsultingEmanuel Kolta, Lead Analyst The green generation: bridging 5G and 6G Going green: benchmarking the energy efficiency of mobile Green is good for business: making the financial case in © 2023 GSM Association @GSMAi