Power, Energy and Environmental

Description

Power, Energy and Environmental (PEE) is a comprehensive framework within 3GPP that addresses the sustainability and energy consumption of mobile networks. It encompasses specifications defining key performance indicators (KPIs), management interfaces, and network features designed to monitor, report, and optimize power usage across the Radio Access Network (RAN) and Core Network. The architecture involves network elements like base stations (gNBs, eNBs) and core functions reporting energy-related data to management systems, such as the Network Management System (NMS) or Element Management System (EMS). These systems collect metrics defined in PEE specifications, such as Energy Consumption (EC), Energy Efficiency (EE), and the utilization of renewable energy sources. The PEE framework enables features like energy saving management (ESM), where network nodes can enter low-power states (e.g., cell sleep modes, symbol shutdown) during periods of low traffic. This is coordinated through management interfaces like the Itf-N or service-based interfaces in 5G. The PEE specifications also cover environmental aspects, including carbon footprint tracking and guidelines for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The role of PEE is integral to network operation and maintenance (OAM), providing operators with the tools to implement greener policies, comply with environmental regulations, and reduce operational expenditures (OPEX) associated with energy costs.

Purpose & Motivation

The creation of the PEE work item in 3GPP Release 14 was driven by the growing global emphasis on sustainability and the urgent need to reduce the carbon footprint of the ICT sector. Mobile networks, with millions of base stations worldwide, are significant consumers of electrical energy. Prior to dedicated PEE specifications, energy efficiency efforts were ad-hoc and vendor-specific, lacking standardized metrics and management procedures. This made it difficult for operators to benchmark performance, implement consistent energy-saving features across multi-vendor networks, or report environmental impact accurately. PEE standardizes these aspects, enabling coordinated energy saving across the network. It addresses the problem of increasing energy costs and the environmental impact of expanding 5G networks, which require more sites and potentially higher power consumption. By providing a unified framework, PEE helps operators deploy features like dynamic shutdown of network resources, optimize cooling systems, and integrate renewable energy, ultimately contributing to corporate sustainability goals and regulatory compliance.