TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's 5th-generation network coverage has steadily grown in recent years, driven by the prevalent use of streaming platforms and social media.
However, despite the speedier internet access offered by 5G services, the substantial energy consumption to maintain its base stations has become a pressing sustainability concern.
Local service provider staff member Kuo Yu-tai explained that though 5G base stations are efficient, the heavy data transmission load consumes two to three times more energy than 4G.
"The heavier the use, the more data is transmitted and energy consumed," Kuo said.
A local service provider revealed their total annual energy consumption is around 600 million kilowatt-hours. Approximately 10,000 of their base stations alone consume about 450 million kilowatt-hours, representing three-fourths of their annual energy usage.
Network providers have turned to AI to collect data on periods of lowest internet usage to address this issue.
Using this data, the algorithm assists the company in identifying the optimal spots to set up base stations and determine when they can enter energy-saving mode.
As a result, energy usage has been reduced by an impressive 46%.
"We strategically select optimal locations for 5G base stations using AI, resulting in approximately 3,000 fewer stations than our competitors," another local service provider staff member Chan Chieh-sheng revealed.
"This approach significantly conserves energy and has led to a reduction of around 30,000 tons of carbon emissions."
Taiwanese network service providers are also actively pursuing greener practices, aiming to incorporate renewable energy sources. In particular, one local provider has committed to achieving 100% renewable energy usage by 2040.
This aligns with Taiwan's broader efforts to achieve its 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goal. Across various industries, businesses are stepping up to contribute to building a more sustainable future.
