Telecom network energy management for sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa: Towards a solution through a systems approach

A dependable, economically viable, environmentally friendly and sustainable energy system is a foundation of any modern society. The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) telecommunications industry has seen, in the last years, a significant surge in fossil powered network infrastructures including in hardly reachable off-grid areas and the relevant hike of energy consumptions because of increased demand for capacity and coverage in order to ensure quality of service anywhere and anytime. The considerable problems resulting from high energy consumptions and from relevant environmental emergency due to emissions of greenhouse gases have pushed companies to devise novel, clear, defined and holistic approaches so as to optimize actions fit for fulfilling the urging and growing energy management demands. Improving energy management for telecom networks is not only a crucial contribution towards the fight against global warming, but with the swiftly hiking energy prices, it is also becoming a financial opportunity. Companies believe that custom power supply specifications and strategies especially for hardly reachable off-grid areas such as, efficiency, sustainability, reliability and cost-effectiveness can be best solved by utilizing advancements in technical solutions, for example, renewable energy. This renders the current trends and practices of managing energy in telecom networks across SSA more of a reductionist approach. Amidst the substantial renewable energy resources, the SSA telecom industry hasn’t adopted the idea of greening to the expected potential to provide sustainable power to industries and communities across the region. This paper seeks to analyze the key barriers that have hampered greening of telecom networks across SSA and then propose a conceptual framework based on systems approach for guiding policy makers, stakeholder groups and governments as far as energy planning and management strategies are concerned. It incorporates technical, financial, operational and ecosystem factors. Key words: Barriers, cost-effectiveness, reliability, sustainable power, sub-Saharan Africa, Telecom network greening