Energy efficiency as an inherent attribute of 6G networks

Energy efficiency brings positive environmental and economic benefits to society, including reduced pollution and utility bills. As such, the world is looking to technological advancements to drive a more sustainable future. One technology that offers opportunity in this space is 6G. Leveraging unparalleled speed and connectivity, and with the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI), 6G offers the opportunity to drive energy efficiency like never before. It also represents a sea change in how the communications industry approaches sustainability at the most fundamental level: as a native attribute of the network.

In 2020, the information and communications technology (ICT) sector used around 4% of the world’s electricity at the use stage and accounted for around 1.4% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that year.¹ Moreover, ICT emissions are thought to be growing twice as fast as global emissions overall.² At the same time, 6G is expected to demand higher data throughput than 5G.³This requires efficiently engineered solutions. Moreover, the demand for generative AI is driving data growth to the point where a new data center opens every three days.⁴ This rapid growth brings new challenges that were not considered a decade ago.

“As we think about the transition from 5G to 6G, we need to move from networks that are conscious of energy consumption to communications systems that have sustainability as an inherent attribute of the network itself,” Dr. Giampaolo Tardioli, Keysight’s vice president of 6G innovation, said at Mobile World Congress earlier this year.

Other Keysight presenters at the event also noted that in an era where connectivity is embedded in every aspect of society, it’s crucial to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. As such, the transition from 5G to 6G must include building purpose-driven, sustainable networks that benefit the environment and have a positive impact on the economy.

Keysight is playing a key role in enabling sustainability for 6G networks. Keysight’s 6G journey, which began nearly five years ago, has been focused on driving leading scalable solutions while actively engaging and influencing the nascent ecosystem, with sustainability and AI as top of mind.

The future looks bright with the energy efficiency opportunities presented by 6G developments, and we’re grateful to be part of a company contributing to the transition to a more sustainable network infrastructure.

References

1. ICT Sector Electricity Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions – 2020 Results
2. The actual climate and transformative impact of ICT: A critique of estimates, trends, and regulations.
3. What is the difference between 5G and 6G?
4. Why the AI ​​industry’s thirst for new data centers remains unsatisfied