Energy Efficiency As a Native Network Attribute Through 6G
By Michele Robinson-Pontbriand Director Corporate Social Responsibility
Energy efficiency offers positive societal benefits in both environmental and economic ways, such as lowering pollutants and utility bills. As such, the global community is looking toward technological advancements to help drive a more sustainable future. One such technology that offers opportunities in this space is 6G. Utilizing its unparalleled speed and connectivity, and powered by the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), 6G enables the opportunity to drive unprecedented energy efficiency. It also represents a major shift in how the communications industry can approach sustainability at the most fundamental level – as a native attribute of the network.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in 2020 used ~4% of global electricity in the use stage, representing about 1.4% of worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in that year.1 In addition, ICT emissions have likely grown twice as fast as total global emissions.2 At the same time, 6G is anticipated to have greater data throughput demands than 5G3, which will require solutions that are designed efficiently. On top of this, the demand for generative AI is a driving force in data growth, to the tune of a new data center every three days.4 This extreme growth adds new challenges that weren’t considered 10 years ago.
Dr. Giampaolo Tardioli, Keysight vice president of 6G Innovations, spoke earlier this year at Mobile World Congress noting that, “As we think about the transformation from 5G to 6G, we need to go from a network aware of energy consumption to a communication system with sustainability as a native attribute of the network itself.”
Other Keysight presenters at the event also noted that, in an age where connectivity is embedded into every aspect of society, achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is critical. As such, the transition from 5G to 6G needs to include creating purpose-driven sustainable networks that benefit the environment and have positive economic impacts.
Keysight is playing a critical role in enabling sustainability in 6G networks. Keysight’s 6G journey, which started nearly five years ago, is focused on advancing key scalable solutions while actively engaging and influencing the early-stage ecosystem, keeping sustainability and AI top of mind.
The future is looking bright with the opportunity of energy efficiency through 6G developments, and I’m thankful to be part of a company that will help move toward more sustainable network infrastructures.
1. ICT sector electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions – 2020 outcome
2. The real climate and transformative impact of ICT: A critique of estimates, trends, and regulations
3. 5G vs 6G: What’s the difference?
4. Why the AI Industry’s Thirst for New Data Centers Can’t Be Satisfied
