COP26: AI key to cutting energy demand

Research group GSMA surveyed 103 communication service providers (CSPs) for the Nokia-commissioned report and found that the overwhelming majority said rising energy demand and costs are “critical issues to their operations and their customers”.

AI energy management software is central to many CSPs’ strategies to reduce their environmental footprints according to the report’s authors. Alongside this, 83% of CSPs surveyed agreed with the statement that “energy efficiency is a major network transformation driver that will grow in importance as 5G is operationalised by industry and as energy costs rise over the next three years”.

A rise in television and movie streaming, video conferencing from remote working and online gaming via 5G require more energy consuming telecoms equipment and bandwidth capacity, as well as large amounts of data stored in “energy consuming data centres”.

Close to half of the companies that took part in the research said they expect to achieve energy savings of 10-20% over the next two years using AI energy solutions including using zero-touch automation, off-site network troubleshooting visits, IoT sensors and wider use of smart meters in homes.