Yojana Magazine October 2022 - 3 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


YOJANA   October 2022 37
Green Telecom
Sanjeev Banzal
The author is the Director-General, ERNET, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI. Email: sbanzal@gmail.com
With the advent of 
5G technology, it is 
expected that there will 
be a significant rise in 
the towers, small cells, 
and BTS (or equivalent 
electronics) resulting 
in accelerating GHG 
and carbon emissions, 
and the resultant 
contribution in the 
overall global warming. 
To reduce the adverse 
effect on the overall 
ecosystem by the 
telecom sector, steps 
must be taken to lessen 
the energy consumption 
and migrate towards 
renewable sources 
of energy to mitigate 
the effects of global 
warming. 
E
RENEWAbLE ENERGy 
ver since the start of industrialisation in the 18
th
 century with steam 
power and mechanisation of production, the air and water pollution 
levels have been rising on Earth. Although pollution was present 
in the pre-industrialisation era also, it was negligible enough to be 
offset by the carbon dioxide stored and absorbed by the forests throughout the 
planet. However, in the 20
th
 century, the pollution levels were more noticeable 
and the amount of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rising was giving effect to ‘Global 
Warming.’ The term ‘Global Warming’ refers to an unnatural increase in the 
average temperature of the planet as compared to pre-industrial levels. The various 
phenomena of global warming along with other natural calamities like typhoons, 
flash floods, melting of icebergs, etc., are collectively termed ‘climate change.’
Climate Change is the biggest challenge the world is facing today. This 
requires all countries to come together and discuss measures to curtail the GHG 
emissions in the atmosphere. The respective sectors like Agriculture, Industry, 
Service sector, etc., have to take corrective steps in their area to mitigate the effects 
of climate change for a balanced ecological system.
Telecom services are an integral part of our lives, connecting people and 
things by the means of calls, messages, and the Internet. Telecom towers play a 
pivotal role in this process. The operations of these towers of telecommunication 
networks require electricity on a continuous basis for interruption-free telecom 
services. The electricity comes mainly from the power grid. However, when there 
are power cuts, these towers’ electronics run on fossil fuels like Diesel Generator 
Hybrid power supply to telecom towers
Page 2


YOJANA   October 2022 37
Green Telecom
Sanjeev Banzal
The author is the Director-General, ERNET, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI. Email: sbanzal@gmail.com
With the advent of 
5G technology, it is 
expected that there will 
be a significant rise in 
the towers, small cells, 
and BTS (or equivalent 
electronics) resulting 
in accelerating GHG 
and carbon emissions, 
and the resultant 
contribution in the 
overall global warming. 
To reduce the adverse 
effect on the overall 
ecosystem by the 
telecom sector, steps 
must be taken to lessen 
the energy consumption 
and migrate towards 
renewable sources 
of energy to mitigate 
the effects of global 
warming. 
E
RENEWAbLE ENERGy 
ver since the start of industrialisation in the 18
th
 century with steam 
power and mechanisation of production, the air and water pollution 
levels have been rising on Earth. Although pollution was present 
in the pre-industrialisation era also, it was negligible enough to be 
offset by the carbon dioxide stored and absorbed by the forests throughout the 
planet. However, in the 20
th
 century, the pollution levels were more noticeable 
and the amount of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rising was giving effect to ‘Global 
Warming.’ The term ‘Global Warming’ refers to an unnatural increase in the 
average temperature of the planet as compared to pre-industrial levels. The various 
phenomena of global warming along with other natural calamities like typhoons, 
flash floods, melting of icebergs, etc., are collectively termed ‘climate change.’
Climate Change is the biggest challenge the world is facing today. This 
requires all countries to come together and discuss measures to curtail the GHG 
emissions in the atmosphere. The respective sectors like Agriculture, Industry, 
Service sector, etc., have to take corrective steps in their area to mitigate the effects 
of climate change for a balanced ecological system.
Telecom services are an integral part of our lives, connecting people and 
things by the means of calls, messages, and the Internet. Telecom towers play a 
pivotal role in this process. The operations of these towers of telecommunication 
networks require electricity on a continuous basis for interruption-free telecom 
services. The electricity comes mainly from the power grid. However, when there 
are power cuts, these towers’ electronics run on fossil fuels like Diesel Generator 
Hybrid power supply to telecom towers
38 YOJANA   October 2022
(DG) sets and battery backup. Both the grid energy and 
DG sets contribute to the emission of Green House Gases, 
thus increasing the carbon footprints, resulting in negative 
environmental effects like Global Warming. In addition, 
the energy consumption through these towers entails a 
significant amount of operational expenditure to the telecom 
service providers.
India’s telecom market is the second largest in 
the world in terms of subscriptions. This market is 
characterised by one of the lowest broadband rates in the 
world. As per the latest TRAI report, as on 31 May 2022, 
India had 1.15 billion mobile subscriptions and about 800 
million broadband connections, most of which were on 
mobile devices and connected through telecom towers 
and small cells. There are more than 7 lakh telecom 
towers spread over the length and breadth of the country. 
These towers house mobile transmitters and receivers  
(called Base Trans-Receiver Systems or BTS) at their base 
and antennas are mounted over these towers to transmit and 
receive mobile signals for connectivity with mobile devices 
like handsets, iPad, laptops, etc. 
Due to the pandemic, there has been a rapid growth 
in mobile broadband as people are using broadband for 
connecting through video-conferencing 
and using payment through applications 
like Unified Payment Interface (UPI). 
The proliferation of mobile and 
broadband has led to an increase in 
the number of towers, small cells, and  
BTSs. The diagram above reflects the 
growth of the telecom towers and BTSs 
in the last 5 years (half-yearly basis). 
A significant number of these 
towers are in rural and hilly areas where 
the grid power supply is not very stable 
and there are power cuts also in many rural areas. As a 
result, these towers have to depend upon DG sets. With 
the advent of 5G technology, it is expected that there will 
be a significant rise in the towers, small cells, and BTS (or 
equivalent electronics) resulting in an acceleration in GHG 
and carbon emissions, and the resultant contribution to the 
overall global warming.
To reduce the adverse effect on the overall ecosystem by 
the telecom sector, steps must be taken now on the two main 
fronts:
1. Reducing the energy consumption of the electronics, 
designing eco-friendly electronics, buildings, 
consumables, and effective network planning with the 
overall aim to reduce power requirement; and 
2. Migrating towards renewable sources of energy to 
mitigate the effects of global warming. 
1. Reducing the Energy Consumption: There are ways 
to reduce the energy consumption of the electronics 
used in providing telecom services including those 
based on 5G technology. Some of these techniques are:
•	 Use of 5G Technologies: In the 5G technology, the 
energy issues are handled right from the design stage 
itself. Unlike earlier technological 
evolutions (2G, 3G, 4G) in this field, 
5G technology takes care of network 
energy efficiency. The energy efficiency 
of future network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of twenty 
as compared to LTE/4G technology. 
5G technology will also help in the 
most efficient and flexible allocation 
of resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services. It will help in 
power management at the equipment 
The energy efficiency of future 
network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of 
twenty as compared to LTE/4G 
technology. 5G technology will 
also help in the most efficient 
and flexible allocation of 
resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services.
Source: Department of Telecom (www.dot.gov.in)
Page 3


YOJANA   October 2022 37
Green Telecom
Sanjeev Banzal
The author is the Director-General, ERNET, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI. Email: sbanzal@gmail.com
With the advent of 
5G technology, it is 
expected that there will 
be a significant rise in 
the towers, small cells, 
and BTS (or equivalent 
electronics) resulting 
in accelerating GHG 
and carbon emissions, 
and the resultant 
contribution in the 
overall global warming. 
To reduce the adverse 
effect on the overall 
ecosystem by the 
telecom sector, steps 
must be taken to lessen 
the energy consumption 
and migrate towards 
renewable sources 
of energy to mitigate 
the effects of global 
warming. 
E
RENEWAbLE ENERGy 
ver since the start of industrialisation in the 18
th
 century with steam 
power and mechanisation of production, the air and water pollution 
levels have been rising on Earth. Although pollution was present 
in the pre-industrialisation era also, it was negligible enough to be 
offset by the carbon dioxide stored and absorbed by the forests throughout the 
planet. However, in the 20
th
 century, the pollution levels were more noticeable 
and the amount of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rising was giving effect to ‘Global 
Warming.’ The term ‘Global Warming’ refers to an unnatural increase in the 
average temperature of the planet as compared to pre-industrial levels. The various 
phenomena of global warming along with other natural calamities like typhoons, 
flash floods, melting of icebergs, etc., are collectively termed ‘climate change.’
Climate Change is the biggest challenge the world is facing today. This 
requires all countries to come together and discuss measures to curtail the GHG 
emissions in the atmosphere. The respective sectors like Agriculture, Industry, 
Service sector, etc., have to take corrective steps in their area to mitigate the effects 
of climate change for a balanced ecological system.
Telecom services are an integral part of our lives, connecting people and 
things by the means of calls, messages, and the Internet. Telecom towers play a 
pivotal role in this process. The operations of these towers of telecommunication 
networks require electricity on a continuous basis for interruption-free telecom 
services. The electricity comes mainly from the power grid. However, when there 
are power cuts, these towers’ electronics run on fossil fuels like Diesel Generator 
Hybrid power supply to telecom towers
38 YOJANA   October 2022
(DG) sets and battery backup. Both the grid energy and 
DG sets contribute to the emission of Green House Gases, 
thus increasing the carbon footprints, resulting in negative 
environmental effects like Global Warming. In addition, 
the energy consumption through these towers entails a 
significant amount of operational expenditure to the telecom 
service providers.
India’s telecom market is the second largest in 
the world in terms of subscriptions. This market is 
characterised by one of the lowest broadband rates in the 
world. As per the latest TRAI report, as on 31 May 2022, 
India had 1.15 billion mobile subscriptions and about 800 
million broadband connections, most of which were on 
mobile devices and connected through telecom towers 
and small cells. There are more than 7 lakh telecom 
towers spread over the length and breadth of the country. 
These towers house mobile transmitters and receivers  
(called Base Trans-Receiver Systems or BTS) at their base 
and antennas are mounted over these towers to transmit and 
receive mobile signals for connectivity with mobile devices 
like handsets, iPad, laptops, etc. 
Due to the pandemic, there has been a rapid growth 
in mobile broadband as people are using broadband for 
connecting through video-conferencing 
and using payment through applications 
like Unified Payment Interface (UPI). 
The proliferation of mobile and 
broadband has led to an increase in 
the number of towers, small cells, and  
BTSs. The diagram above reflects the 
growth of the telecom towers and BTSs 
in the last 5 years (half-yearly basis). 
A significant number of these 
towers are in rural and hilly areas where 
the grid power supply is not very stable 
and there are power cuts also in many rural areas. As a 
result, these towers have to depend upon DG sets. With 
the advent of 5G technology, it is expected that there will 
be a significant rise in the towers, small cells, and BTS (or 
equivalent electronics) resulting in an acceleration in GHG 
and carbon emissions, and the resultant contribution to the 
overall global warming.
To reduce the adverse effect on the overall ecosystem by 
the telecom sector, steps must be taken now on the two main 
fronts:
1. Reducing the energy consumption of the electronics, 
designing eco-friendly electronics, buildings, 
consumables, and effective network planning with the 
overall aim to reduce power requirement; and 
2. Migrating towards renewable sources of energy to 
mitigate the effects of global warming. 
1. Reducing the Energy Consumption: There are ways 
to reduce the energy consumption of the electronics 
used in providing telecom services including those 
based on 5G technology. Some of these techniques are:
•	 Use of 5G Technologies: In the 5G technology, the 
energy issues are handled right from the design stage 
itself. Unlike earlier technological 
evolutions (2G, 3G, 4G) in this field, 
5G technology takes care of network 
energy efficiency. The energy efficiency 
of future network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of twenty 
as compared to LTE/4G technology. 
5G technology will also help in the 
most efficient and flexible allocation 
of resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services. It will help in 
power management at the equipment 
The energy efficiency of future 
network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of 
twenty as compared to LTE/4G 
technology. 5G technology will 
also help in the most efficient 
and flexible allocation of 
resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services.
Source: Department of Telecom (www.dot.gov.in)
YOJANA   October 2022 39
level itself, thus reducing not 
only power requirement but also 
the need for air conditioning. 
Further, 5G technology will allow 
flexible use of spectrum which is 
an essential element for wireless 
communication, which in turn will 
have a direct impact on energy 
consumption. 
•	 Efficient Use of Network 
Operations: Traditional (4G and 
earlier) mobile networks spend only 
about 15% to 20% of overall power 
consumption on actual data transfer. 
The rest is wasted because of heat 
loss in power amplifiers, equipment kept running when 
no data is being transmitted, and inefficient rectifiers, 
cooling systems, and battery units. New approaches are 
needed to eliminate the energy wastage or harness that 
wasted power for other purposes by:
i. Cell switch-off techniques, i.e., by turning Radio-
Frequency (RF) chains off when not in use and keeping 
only backhaul links alive; the base station is only changed 
to active mode when a signal is sensed. This can reduce 
base-station energy consumption by up to 40%. 
ii. Introducing smart shutdown techniques using Artificial 
Intelligence (AI) across multiple sites and radio 
networks to reduce power consumption. 
iii. Use of single Radio Access Network (RAN) platforms, 
in which a single base station supports 2G, 3G, 4G, 
and 5G technologies, thus replacing multiple pieces of 
equipment and reducing total power consumption.
iv. Close or sunset old 2G, 3G Technology-based systems
v. Use of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which 
allows new mobile technologies to make use of older 
networks’ spectrum, sharing it on a dynamic basis.
vi. Installing Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on 
infrastructure to monitor energy usage and quality of 
service, in real-time.
vii. Use of AI & Machine Learning 
(ML) techniques to support network 
automation, and allocation of resources 
in an intelligent, proactive, and most 
power-efficient way.
viii. Use of Self-Organising 
Networks (SON) with AI capabilities 
to help make near real-time decisions to 
self-optimise the network with the aim 
to save power.
•	 Use of end-to-end intelligent 
power systems:
i. The combination of cloud 
infrastructure and AI in mobile networks 
can enable telecom service providers to 
move towards fully intelligent power systems.
ii. A cloud-based system can coordinate base stations, 
power supplies, edge infrastructure, backhaul units, and 
other equipment across multiple layers and domains so 
that power supplies become intelligent and efficiencies 
are made throughout the network. 
iii. In the future, full AI-based intelligent energy will emerge 
in which different levels of power are automatically made 
available depending on the time of day or application.
2. Migrate towards  Renewable Sources of Energy
Telecom towers consume 65-70% of energy from the 
operations of telecom networks. In order to reduce the effect 
on the environment and ecology due to the energy needs 
of telecom equipment, there is an urgent need to move to 
renewable sources of energy for telecom towers, i.e., Green 
telecom towers for energy saving.
India was ranked fourth in wind power, fifth in solar 
power, and fourth in renewable power installed capacity, as 
of 2020. As per the Central Electricity Authority report, the 
total installed capacity increased by CAGR 15.92% between 
the Financial Years 2016-22.
For providing energy to the telecom towers, some of the 
following  renewable sources can be used:
Due to its favourable 
location in the solar belt 
(400 S to 400 N), India is 
one of the best recipients of 
solar energy with abundant 
availability. Compared to 
diesel, solar electricity offers 
a sustainable, cost-effective, 
and environment-friendly 
electricity supply for the 
growing telecommunication 
industry. 
Page 4


YOJANA   October 2022 37
Green Telecom
Sanjeev Banzal
The author is the Director-General, ERNET, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI. Email: sbanzal@gmail.com
With the advent of 
5G technology, it is 
expected that there will 
be a significant rise in 
the towers, small cells, 
and BTS (or equivalent 
electronics) resulting 
in accelerating GHG 
and carbon emissions, 
and the resultant 
contribution in the 
overall global warming. 
To reduce the adverse 
effect on the overall 
ecosystem by the 
telecom sector, steps 
must be taken to lessen 
the energy consumption 
and migrate towards 
renewable sources 
of energy to mitigate 
the effects of global 
warming. 
E
RENEWAbLE ENERGy 
ver since the start of industrialisation in the 18
th
 century with steam 
power and mechanisation of production, the air and water pollution 
levels have been rising on Earth. Although pollution was present 
in the pre-industrialisation era also, it was negligible enough to be 
offset by the carbon dioxide stored and absorbed by the forests throughout the 
planet. However, in the 20
th
 century, the pollution levels were more noticeable 
and the amount of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rising was giving effect to ‘Global 
Warming.’ The term ‘Global Warming’ refers to an unnatural increase in the 
average temperature of the planet as compared to pre-industrial levels. The various 
phenomena of global warming along with other natural calamities like typhoons, 
flash floods, melting of icebergs, etc., are collectively termed ‘climate change.’
Climate Change is the biggest challenge the world is facing today. This 
requires all countries to come together and discuss measures to curtail the GHG 
emissions in the atmosphere. The respective sectors like Agriculture, Industry, 
Service sector, etc., have to take corrective steps in their area to mitigate the effects 
of climate change for a balanced ecological system.
Telecom services are an integral part of our lives, connecting people and 
things by the means of calls, messages, and the Internet. Telecom towers play a 
pivotal role in this process. The operations of these towers of telecommunication 
networks require electricity on a continuous basis for interruption-free telecom 
services. The electricity comes mainly from the power grid. However, when there 
are power cuts, these towers’ electronics run on fossil fuels like Diesel Generator 
Hybrid power supply to telecom towers
38 YOJANA   October 2022
(DG) sets and battery backup. Both the grid energy and 
DG sets contribute to the emission of Green House Gases, 
thus increasing the carbon footprints, resulting in negative 
environmental effects like Global Warming. In addition, 
the energy consumption through these towers entails a 
significant amount of operational expenditure to the telecom 
service providers.
India’s telecom market is the second largest in 
the world in terms of subscriptions. This market is 
characterised by one of the lowest broadband rates in the 
world. As per the latest TRAI report, as on 31 May 2022, 
India had 1.15 billion mobile subscriptions and about 800 
million broadband connections, most of which were on 
mobile devices and connected through telecom towers 
and small cells. There are more than 7 lakh telecom 
towers spread over the length and breadth of the country. 
These towers house mobile transmitters and receivers  
(called Base Trans-Receiver Systems or BTS) at their base 
and antennas are mounted over these towers to transmit and 
receive mobile signals for connectivity with mobile devices 
like handsets, iPad, laptops, etc. 
Due to the pandemic, there has been a rapid growth 
in mobile broadband as people are using broadband for 
connecting through video-conferencing 
and using payment through applications 
like Unified Payment Interface (UPI). 
The proliferation of mobile and 
broadband has led to an increase in 
the number of towers, small cells, and  
BTSs. The diagram above reflects the 
growth of the telecom towers and BTSs 
in the last 5 years (half-yearly basis). 
A significant number of these 
towers are in rural and hilly areas where 
the grid power supply is not very stable 
and there are power cuts also in many rural areas. As a 
result, these towers have to depend upon DG sets. With 
the advent of 5G technology, it is expected that there will 
be a significant rise in the towers, small cells, and BTS (or 
equivalent electronics) resulting in an acceleration in GHG 
and carbon emissions, and the resultant contribution to the 
overall global warming.
To reduce the adverse effect on the overall ecosystem by 
the telecom sector, steps must be taken now on the two main 
fronts:
1. Reducing the energy consumption of the electronics, 
designing eco-friendly electronics, buildings, 
consumables, and effective network planning with the 
overall aim to reduce power requirement; and 
2. Migrating towards renewable sources of energy to 
mitigate the effects of global warming. 
1. Reducing the Energy Consumption: There are ways 
to reduce the energy consumption of the electronics 
used in providing telecom services including those 
based on 5G technology. Some of these techniques are:
•	 Use of 5G Technologies: In the 5G technology, the 
energy issues are handled right from the design stage 
itself. Unlike earlier technological 
evolutions (2G, 3G, 4G) in this field, 
5G technology takes care of network 
energy efficiency. The energy efficiency 
of future network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of twenty 
as compared to LTE/4G technology. 
5G technology will also help in the 
most efficient and flexible allocation 
of resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services. It will help in 
power management at the equipment 
The energy efficiency of future 
network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of 
twenty as compared to LTE/4G 
technology. 5G technology will 
also help in the most efficient 
and flexible allocation of 
resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services.
Source: Department of Telecom (www.dot.gov.in)
YOJANA   October 2022 39
level itself, thus reducing not 
only power requirement but also 
the need for air conditioning. 
Further, 5G technology will allow 
flexible use of spectrum which is 
an essential element for wireless 
communication, which in turn will 
have a direct impact on energy 
consumption. 
•	 Efficient Use of Network 
Operations: Traditional (4G and 
earlier) mobile networks spend only 
about 15% to 20% of overall power 
consumption on actual data transfer. 
The rest is wasted because of heat 
loss in power amplifiers, equipment kept running when 
no data is being transmitted, and inefficient rectifiers, 
cooling systems, and battery units. New approaches are 
needed to eliminate the energy wastage or harness that 
wasted power for other purposes by:
i. Cell switch-off techniques, i.e., by turning Radio-
Frequency (RF) chains off when not in use and keeping 
only backhaul links alive; the base station is only changed 
to active mode when a signal is sensed. This can reduce 
base-station energy consumption by up to 40%. 
ii. Introducing smart shutdown techniques using Artificial 
Intelligence (AI) across multiple sites and radio 
networks to reduce power consumption. 
iii. Use of single Radio Access Network (RAN) platforms, 
in which a single base station supports 2G, 3G, 4G, 
and 5G technologies, thus replacing multiple pieces of 
equipment and reducing total power consumption.
iv. Close or sunset old 2G, 3G Technology-based systems
v. Use of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which 
allows new mobile technologies to make use of older 
networks’ spectrum, sharing it on a dynamic basis.
vi. Installing Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on 
infrastructure to monitor energy usage and quality of 
service, in real-time.
vii. Use of AI & Machine Learning 
(ML) techniques to support network 
automation, and allocation of resources 
in an intelligent, proactive, and most 
power-efficient way.
viii. Use of Self-Organising 
Networks (SON) with AI capabilities 
to help make near real-time decisions to 
self-optimise the network with the aim 
to save power.
•	 Use of end-to-end intelligent 
power systems:
i. The combination of cloud 
infrastructure and AI in mobile networks 
can enable telecom service providers to 
move towards fully intelligent power systems.
ii. A cloud-based system can coordinate base stations, 
power supplies, edge infrastructure, backhaul units, and 
other equipment across multiple layers and domains so 
that power supplies become intelligent and efficiencies 
are made throughout the network. 
iii. In the future, full AI-based intelligent energy will emerge 
in which different levels of power are automatically made 
available depending on the time of day or application.
2. Migrate towards  Renewable Sources of Energy
Telecom towers consume 65-70% of energy from the 
operations of telecom networks. In order to reduce the effect 
on the environment and ecology due to the energy needs 
of telecom equipment, there is an urgent need to move to 
renewable sources of energy for telecom towers, i.e., Green 
telecom towers for energy saving.
India was ranked fourth in wind power, fifth in solar 
power, and fourth in renewable power installed capacity, as 
of 2020. As per the Central Electricity Authority report, the 
total installed capacity increased by CAGR 15.92% between 
the Financial Years 2016-22.
For providing energy to the telecom towers, some of the 
following  renewable sources can be used:
Due to its favourable 
location in the solar belt 
(400 S to 400 N), India is 
one of the best recipients of 
solar energy with abundant 
availability. Compared to 
diesel, solar electricity offers 
a sustainable, cost-effective, 
and environment-friendly 
electricity supply for the 
growing telecommunication 
industry. 
40 YOJANA   October 2022
i. Solar Power
Due to its favourable location in the solar belt (400 S 
to 400 N), India is one of the best recipients of solar energy 
with abundant availability. Its generation has increased by 
more than 18 times from 2.63 GW in March 2014 to 49.3 
GW at the end of 2021. Compared to diesel, solar electricity 
offers a sustainable, cost-effective, and environment-friendly 
electricity supply for the growing telecommunication 
industry. There are now hybrid models where power is 
drawn from both the grid and solar cells, thus reducing the 
dependence solely on grid and DG sets. In telecom towers, 
solar, grid, and DG-based power supply are increasingly 
being used in the field.
ii. Wind Power
Wind power is a clean, reliable, renewable, and  
cost-competitive source of renewable energy that has been 
used for decades. Wind power generation along with solar 
power generation (hybrid  renewable power) is becoming 
quite popular now and many more wind turbines are getting 
installed. Conversion of wind energy has been expensive so 
far, along with the impact of a variable resource on the grid 
and siting. However, technology has advanced rapidly in 
recent years to accomodate these factors. 
iii. Geothermal Power
Geothermal power is a renewable form of energy 
utilising underground hot water or steam created by the 
natural heat beneath the earth’s surface. Low-temperature 
geothermal sources can be utilised to heat and cool by 
installing heat pump systems. Hot water or steam from 
high-temperature geothermal sources can be used to power 
turbines to produce, clean and renewable electrical energy. 
iv. Fuel cell
Fuel cells are a promising technology for use as a 
source of heat and electricity. A fuel cell combines hydrogen 
and oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. Fuel 
cells operate best on pure hydrogen. Fuels like natural gas, 
methanol or even gasoline can be reformed to produce 
the hydrogen required for fuel cells. Fuel cells are often 
compared to batteries. Both convert the energy produced by 
a chemical reaction into usable electric power. However, the 
fuel cell will produce electricity as long as fuel (hydrogen) 
is supplied, never losing its charge.
v. Other innovative solutions:
W ave power, tidal power, and ocean currents can also be 
used to drive turbines to generate electricity. Technologies to 
harness these forms of power are presently being developed 
to the stage of commercialisation.
Barriers to Renewable Energy Implementation
There are significant barriers to the implementation of 
renewable energy that need to be addressed. The key issues 
include the following:
1. Many renewable energy technologies remain expensive 
on account of higher capital costs, compared to 
conventional energy supplies for bulk energy supply to 
urban areas or major industries.
2. Implementation of renewable energy technologies 
needs significant initial investment and may need 
support for relatively long periods before reaching 
profitability.
3. There is still a lot to be done for consumer awareness 
of the benefits and opportunities of renewable energy.
4. Financial, legal, regulatory, and organisational barriers 
need to be overcome in order to implement renewable 
energy technologies and develop markets in India.
Conclusion
With the proliferation of broadband and mobile devices, 
there has been significant growth in the number of telecom 
towers and associated electronics at the Base-Stations 
(electronics below the telecom towers). It is expected that 
the 5G technologies-based mobile network will be rolled 
out and expanded quickly in India. This will increase the 
number of towers and small cells significantly. It is high 
time that we adopt the latest technologies to reduce the 
power requirement and move towards alternate sources of 
energy that are renewable and which in turn reduce the GHG  
and carbon emissions, thus helping in maintaining the  
ecological balance.                                                                ?
References
1. Y. R. Li, J. Li, H. Wu and W. Zhang, “Energy efficient small cell 
operation under ultra-dense cloud radio access networks,” 2014 
IEEE Globecom Workshops (GC Wkshps), Austin, TX, 2014,  
pp. 1120-1125
2. Power Saving Techniques for 5G and Beyond, Yu-NgokRuyue Li, 
IEEE Access
3. White paper on Bandwidth Part Adaptation, 5G NR User 
Experience & Power Consumption Enhancements by MediaTek, 
PDFBPAWPA4 0219;
4. https://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/MIMO
5. India Brand Equity Foundation website accessed on https://www.
ibef.org/industry/renewable-energy
6. TRAI report on subscriber numbers www.trai.gov.in
7. Tech Target accessed at https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/
feature/The-3-different-types-of-5G-technology-for-enterprises
8. Article: Energy Efficiency Concerns and Trends in Future 5G 
Network Infrastructures: Citation:Chochliouros IP, Kourtis M-A et 
all, Spiliopoulou AS, Lazaridis P, Zaharis Z, Zarakovitis C, Kourtis 
A. Energy Efficiency Concerns and Trends in Future 5G Network 
Infrastructures. Energies. 2021; 14(17):5392. https://www.mdpi.
com/1996-1073/14/17/5392 
9. GSMA website https://www.gsma.com/membership/wp-content/
uploads/2013/01/true-cost-providing-energy-telecom-towers-india.pdf
10. Barriers to renewable/sustainable energy technologies adoption: 
Indian perspective V olume 41, 2015, Pages 762-776, ISSN 1364-
0321, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.08.077
Page 5


YOJANA   October 2022 37
Green Telecom
Sanjeev Banzal
The author is the Director-General, ERNET, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI. Email: sbanzal@gmail.com
With the advent of 
5G technology, it is 
expected that there will 
be a significant rise in 
the towers, small cells, 
and BTS (or equivalent 
electronics) resulting 
in accelerating GHG 
and carbon emissions, 
and the resultant 
contribution in the 
overall global warming. 
To reduce the adverse 
effect on the overall 
ecosystem by the 
telecom sector, steps 
must be taken to lessen 
the energy consumption 
and migrate towards 
renewable sources 
of energy to mitigate 
the effects of global 
warming. 
E
RENEWAbLE ENERGy 
ver since the start of industrialisation in the 18
th
 century with steam 
power and mechanisation of production, the air and water pollution 
levels have been rising on Earth. Although pollution was present 
in the pre-industrialisation era also, it was negligible enough to be 
offset by the carbon dioxide stored and absorbed by the forests throughout the 
planet. However, in the 20
th
 century, the pollution levels were more noticeable 
and the amount of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rising was giving effect to ‘Global 
Warming.’ The term ‘Global Warming’ refers to an unnatural increase in the 
average temperature of the planet as compared to pre-industrial levels. The various 
phenomena of global warming along with other natural calamities like typhoons, 
flash floods, melting of icebergs, etc., are collectively termed ‘climate change.’
Climate Change is the biggest challenge the world is facing today. This 
requires all countries to come together and discuss measures to curtail the GHG 
emissions in the atmosphere. The respective sectors like Agriculture, Industry, 
Service sector, etc., have to take corrective steps in their area to mitigate the effects 
of climate change for a balanced ecological system.
Telecom services are an integral part of our lives, connecting people and 
things by the means of calls, messages, and the Internet. Telecom towers play a 
pivotal role in this process. The operations of these towers of telecommunication 
networks require electricity on a continuous basis for interruption-free telecom 
services. The electricity comes mainly from the power grid. However, when there 
are power cuts, these towers’ electronics run on fossil fuels like Diesel Generator 
Hybrid power supply to telecom towers
38 YOJANA   October 2022
(DG) sets and battery backup. Both the grid energy and 
DG sets contribute to the emission of Green House Gases, 
thus increasing the carbon footprints, resulting in negative 
environmental effects like Global Warming. In addition, 
the energy consumption through these towers entails a 
significant amount of operational expenditure to the telecom 
service providers.
India’s telecom market is the second largest in 
the world in terms of subscriptions. This market is 
characterised by one of the lowest broadband rates in the 
world. As per the latest TRAI report, as on 31 May 2022, 
India had 1.15 billion mobile subscriptions and about 800 
million broadband connections, most of which were on 
mobile devices and connected through telecom towers 
and small cells. There are more than 7 lakh telecom 
towers spread over the length and breadth of the country. 
These towers house mobile transmitters and receivers  
(called Base Trans-Receiver Systems or BTS) at their base 
and antennas are mounted over these towers to transmit and 
receive mobile signals for connectivity with mobile devices 
like handsets, iPad, laptops, etc. 
Due to the pandemic, there has been a rapid growth 
in mobile broadband as people are using broadband for 
connecting through video-conferencing 
and using payment through applications 
like Unified Payment Interface (UPI). 
The proliferation of mobile and 
broadband has led to an increase in 
the number of towers, small cells, and  
BTSs. The diagram above reflects the 
growth of the telecom towers and BTSs 
in the last 5 years (half-yearly basis). 
A significant number of these 
towers are in rural and hilly areas where 
the grid power supply is not very stable 
and there are power cuts also in many rural areas. As a 
result, these towers have to depend upon DG sets. With 
the advent of 5G technology, it is expected that there will 
be a significant rise in the towers, small cells, and BTS (or 
equivalent electronics) resulting in an acceleration in GHG 
and carbon emissions, and the resultant contribution to the 
overall global warming.
To reduce the adverse effect on the overall ecosystem by 
the telecom sector, steps must be taken now on the two main 
fronts:
1. Reducing the energy consumption of the electronics, 
designing eco-friendly electronics, buildings, 
consumables, and effective network planning with the 
overall aim to reduce power requirement; and 
2. Migrating towards renewable sources of energy to 
mitigate the effects of global warming. 
1. Reducing the Energy Consumption: There are ways 
to reduce the energy consumption of the electronics 
used in providing telecom services including those 
based on 5G technology. Some of these techniques are:
•	 Use of 5G Technologies: In the 5G technology, the 
energy issues are handled right from the design stage 
itself. Unlike earlier technological 
evolutions (2G, 3G, 4G) in this field, 
5G technology takes care of network 
energy efficiency. The energy efficiency 
of future network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of twenty 
as compared to LTE/4G technology. 
5G technology will also help in the 
most efficient and flexible allocation 
of resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services. It will help in 
power management at the equipment 
The energy efficiency of future 
network like 5G is expected 
to be improved by a factor of 
twenty as compared to LTE/4G 
technology. 5G technology will 
also help in the most efficient 
and flexible allocation of 
resources for providing telecom 
and broadband services.
Source: Department of Telecom (www.dot.gov.in)
YOJANA   October 2022 39
level itself, thus reducing not 
only power requirement but also 
the need for air conditioning. 
Further, 5G technology will allow 
flexible use of spectrum which is 
an essential element for wireless 
communication, which in turn will 
have a direct impact on energy 
consumption. 
•	 Efficient Use of Network 
Operations: Traditional (4G and 
earlier) mobile networks spend only 
about 15% to 20% of overall power 
consumption on actual data transfer. 
The rest is wasted because of heat 
loss in power amplifiers, equipment kept running when 
no data is being transmitted, and inefficient rectifiers, 
cooling systems, and battery units. New approaches are 
needed to eliminate the energy wastage or harness that 
wasted power for other purposes by:
i. Cell switch-off techniques, i.e., by turning Radio-
Frequency (RF) chains off when not in use and keeping 
only backhaul links alive; the base station is only changed 
to active mode when a signal is sensed. This can reduce 
base-station energy consumption by up to 40%. 
ii. Introducing smart shutdown techniques using Artificial 
Intelligence (AI) across multiple sites and radio 
networks to reduce power consumption. 
iii. Use of single Radio Access Network (RAN) platforms, 
in which a single base station supports 2G, 3G, 4G, 
and 5G technologies, thus replacing multiple pieces of 
equipment and reducing total power consumption.
iv. Close or sunset old 2G, 3G Technology-based systems
v. Use of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which 
allows new mobile technologies to make use of older 
networks’ spectrum, sharing it on a dynamic basis.
vi. Installing Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on 
infrastructure to monitor energy usage and quality of 
service, in real-time.
vii. Use of AI & Machine Learning 
(ML) techniques to support network 
automation, and allocation of resources 
in an intelligent, proactive, and most 
power-efficient way.
viii. Use of Self-Organising 
Networks (SON) with AI capabilities 
to help make near real-time decisions to 
self-optimise the network with the aim 
to save power.
•	 Use of end-to-end intelligent 
power systems:
i. The combination of cloud 
infrastructure and AI in mobile networks 
can enable telecom service providers to 
move towards fully intelligent power systems.
ii. A cloud-based system can coordinate base stations, 
power supplies, edge infrastructure, backhaul units, and 
other equipment across multiple layers and domains so 
that power supplies become intelligent and efficiencies 
are made throughout the network. 
iii. In the future, full AI-based intelligent energy will emerge 
in which different levels of power are automatically made 
available depending on the time of day or application.
2. Migrate towards  Renewable Sources of Energy
Telecom towers consume 65-70% of energy from the 
operations of telecom networks. In order to reduce the effect 
on the environment and ecology due to the energy needs 
of telecom equipment, there is an urgent need to move to 
renewable sources of energy for telecom towers, i.e., Green 
telecom towers for energy saving.
India was ranked fourth in wind power, fifth in solar 
power, and fourth in renewable power installed capacity, as 
of 2020. As per the Central Electricity Authority report, the 
total installed capacity increased by CAGR 15.92% between 
the Financial Years 2016-22.
For providing energy to the telecom towers, some of the 
following  renewable sources can be used:
Due to its favourable 
location in the solar belt 
(400 S to 400 N), India is 
one of the best recipients of 
solar energy with abundant 
availability. Compared to 
diesel, solar electricity offers 
a sustainable, cost-effective, 
and environment-friendly 
electricity supply for the 
growing telecommunication 
industry. 
40 YOJANA   October 2022
i. Solar Power
Due to its favourable location in the solar belt (400 S 
to 400 N), India is one of the best recipients of solar energy 
with abundant availability. Its generation has increased by 
more than 18 times from 2.63 GW in March 2014 to 49.3 
GW at the end of 2021. Compared to diesel, solar electricity 
offers a sustainable, cost-effective, and environment-friendly 
electricity supply for the growing telecommunication 
industry. There are now hybrid models where power is 
drawn from both the grid and solar cells, thus reducing the 
dependence solely on grid and DG sets. In telecom towers, 
solar, grid, and DG-based power supply are increasingly 
being used in the field.
ii. Wind Power
Wind power is a clean, reliable, renewable, and  
cost-competitive source of renewable energy that has been 
used for decades. Wind power generation along with solar 
power generation (hybrid  renewable power) is becoming 
quite popular now and many more wind turbines are getting 
installed. Conversion of wind energy has been expensive so 
far, along with the impact of a variable resource on the grid 
and siting. However, technology has advanced rapidly in 
recent years to accomodate these factors. 
iii. Geothermal Power
Geothermal power is a renewable form of energy 
utilising underground hot water or steam created by the 
natural heat beneath the earth’s surface. Low-temperature 
geothermal sources can be utilised to heat and cool by 
installing heat pump systems. Hot water or steam from 
high-temperature geothermal sources can be used to power 
turbines to produce, clean and renewable electrical energy. 
iv. Fuel cell
Fuel cells are a promising technology for use as a 
source of heat and electricity. A fuel cell combines hydrogen 
and oxygen to produce electricity, heat and water. Fuel 
cells operate best on pure hydrogen. Fuels like natural gas, 
methanol or even gasoline can be reformed to produce 
the hydrogen required for fuel cells. Fuel cells are often 
compared to batteries. Both convert the energy produced by 
a chemical reaction into usable electric power. However, the 
fuel cell will produce electricity as long as fuel (hydrogen) 
is supplied, never losing its charge.
v. Other innovative solutions:
W ave power, tidal power, and ocean currents can also be 
used to drive turbines to generate electricity. Technologies to 
harness these forms of power are presently being developed 
to the stage of commercialisation.
Barriers to Renewable Energy Implementation
There are significant barriers to the implementation of 
renewable energy that need to be addressed. The key issues 
include the following:
1. Many renewable energy technologies remain expensive 
on account of higher capital costs, compared to 
conventional energy supplies for bulk energy supply to 
urban areas or major industries.
2. Implementation of renewable energy technologies 
needs significant initial investment and may need 
support for relatively long periods before reaching 
profitability.
3. There is still a lot to be done for consumer awareness 
of the benefits and opportunities of renewable energy.
4. Financial, legal, regulatory, and organisational barriers 
need to be overcome in order to implement renewable 
energy technologies and develop markets in India.
Conclusion
With the proliferation of broadband and mobile devices, 
there has been significant growth in the number of telecom 
towers and associated electronics at the Base-Stations 
(electronics below the telecom towers). It is expected that 
the 5G technologies-based mobile network will be rolled 
out and expanded quickly in India. This will increase the 
number of towers and small cells significantly. It is high 
time that we adopt the latest technologies to reduce the 
power requirement and move towards alternate sources of 
energy that are renewable and which in turn reduce the GHG  
and carbon emissions, thus helping in maintaining the  
ecological balance.                                                                ?
References
1. Y. R. Li, J. Li, H. Wu and W. Zhang, “Energy efficient small cell 
operation under ultra-dense cloud radio access networks,” 2014 
IEEE Globecom Workshops (GC Wkshps), Austin, TX, 2014,  
pp. 1120-1125
2. Power Saving Techniques for 5G and Beyond, Yu-NgokRuyue Li, 
IEEE Access
3. White paper on Bandwidth Part Adaptation, 5G NR User 
Experience & Power Consumption Enhancements by MediaTek, 
PDFBPAWPA4 0219;
4. https://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/MIMO
5. India Brand Equity Foundation website accessed on https://www.
ibef.org/industry/renewable-energy
6. TRAI report on subscriber numbers www.trai.gov.in
7. Tech Target accessed at https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/
feature/The-3-different-types-of-5G-technology-for-enterprises
8. Article: Energy Efficiency Concerns and Trends in Future 5G 
Network Infrastructures: Citation:Chochliouros IP, Kourtis M-A et 
all, Spiliopoulou AS, Lazaridis P, Zaharis Z, Zarakovitis C, Kourtis 
A. Energy Efficiency Concerns and Trends in Future 5G Network 
Infrastructures. Energies. 2021; 14(17):5392. https://www.mdpi.
com/1996-1073/14/17/5392 
9. GSMA website https://www.gsma.com/membership/wp-content/
uploads/2013/01/true-cost-providing-energy-telecom-towers-india.pdf
10. Barriers to renewable/sustainable energy technologies adoption: 
Indian perspective V olume 41, 2015, Pages 762-776, ISSN 1364-
0321, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.08.077
42 YOJANA   October 2022
HISTORICAL WATERMARkS
Even though India suffered for 200 years under British colonial rule, its spirit to fight through 
difficult periods never wavered. Like a phoenix, India rose from its dark past to hold a prominent 
place in the world at present. Not only in the ancient Vedic and medieval periods, post-medieval 
era also witnessed pioneering works done on the development and conservation of water 
resources. Many water development and conservation works were carried out parallel with 
freedom struggle by Indian engineers, freedom fighters, rulers of the Princely States, and other 
unsung heroes, which have everlasting footprints in India.
Our Water Heroes
Dr V C Goyal
Dr Archana Sarkar
Varun Goyal
Dr V C Goyal is Scientist-G at the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee and Dr Archana Sarkar is Scientist-F, and Varun Goyal is 
Resource Person (Sr) in the same Institute. Email: vcg.nihr@gov.in, archana.nihr@gov.in, varun_water09@yahoo.co.in
ur ancestors had a rich knowledge of 
water conservation and management. For 
example, canal irrigation was not new to 
India as mentioned by Greek travellers and 
also mentioned in Arthashastra and not surprisingly, the  
Ahar-Pyne system of that period is still in use in the South 
Bihar region. Later, many Princely States constructed 
canals, lakes, reservoirs, dams, and other waterworks and 
services for irrigation and domestic purposes. History 
has innumerable contributions by many capable Indian 
engineers, water warriors and unsung heroes, who have, 
for example, explored virgin areas and put them onto the 
map, discovered the origin of rivers, planned, designed, 
O
and implemented a variety of water structures, some of 
which are being utilised till now. Exploring the specific 
contribution during the British colonial period, we have 
come across the contribution of our Indian water heroes 
which may be categorised under three categories– “Jal 
Satyagrahs,” “Water Services,” and “Water Structures.” 
Jal Satyagrahs
Many protests were organised to demand the access 
of water for all sections of the society. Unreasonable taxes 
imposed on the use of water also caused many irritants. 
Since lands and forests are intrinsically linked to water, 
and many protests were carried out on the theme of