Energy consumption modelling and efficiency in radio access networks: a system-level survey

Document Type

Review

Publication Date

6-1-2026

Abstract

The rapid expansion and increasing demands for high throughput and broad coverage in cellular wireless communication have historically prioritized network capacity over energy efficiency. However, with the global emphasis on sustainability, the concept of green cellular networking, particularly the development of energy-efficient base stations, has emerged as a critical research area. Despite the growing interest in green cellular networking, existing studies typically address selected aspects of energy efficiency, indicating an opportunity for a more integrated analysis of the primary factors contributing to energy consumption in radio access network (RAN) base stations. This review seeks to fill this gap by identifying the key components of energy consumption within RAN base stations and providing an in-depth analysis of the current literature on energy efficiency. This review introduces an enhanced mathematical model of energy consumption, identifies the key independent variables and proposes a conceptual framework aimed at improving energy efficiency. By classifying energy issues into fixed and dynamic components, this paper offers targeted approaches for energy savings, identifies existing research gaps, and lays the groundwork for future innovations in green cellular networking. This review introduces a system-level energy consumption framework for RAN base stations, aligned with 5G-Advanced and emerging Open RAN architectures and contributes to the broader goal of sustainable energy management in telecommunications.

Keywords

Base station power consumption, Energy efficiency, Green cellular network, Radio access network, Sustainable telecommunication

Publication Title

Telecommunication Systems

ISSN

1018-4864

DOI

10.1007/s11235-026-01447-7

Volume

89

Issue

2

Publisher

Springer

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