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R4R investigates the integration of renewable power supply systems in the communication access infrastructure to jointly increase network sustainability and resilience. Communication infrastructures, enabled by distributed renewable sources combined with smart algorithms for resource allocation, become sustainable and resilient: a fundamental goal for a society that relies on communications but has to cope with global challenges induced by climate changes.

R4R is part of Spoke 3 – Wireless Networks and Technologies

[M1-M6]

  1. Definition of the reference scenarios, with their constraints.
    • Business as usual (BAU): Dense urban scenarios that integrate renewable energy solutions.
    • Disaster management (DM): Dense urban scenarios in which faults, either due to power supply discontinuity or to the occurrence of disasters that impair the power distribution infrastructure.
    • Isolated site (IS): A site in a remote area, or in an emerging region, in which the power infrastructure is not reliable or present.

  2. Key Performance Indicators to design solutions and evaluate their performance for the considered scenarios; KPI are organized in the following categories:
    • Performance and quality of communication services
    • Energy consumption and emissions
    • Resilience

[M7-M15]

3. A simulation framework for BSs powered through various energy soruces and connected in a micro-grid so that they can exchange energy, if needed.
4. A framework for the optimization of power sources of BS sites.
5. A preliminary analysis of the impact of network sharing on sustainability.
Scientific outcomes:
• 4 published papers (2 journals, 2 conferences)
• 2 submitted papers (1 journal, 1 conference)
Industrial outcomes:
• Simulator of portions of RANs powered with renewables
1. Accomplished:
  • A report on the state of the art and reference scenarios.
  • A living document on the SOTA, research gaps, scenarios and KPIs has been started and it will continuously be updated as the research activities go on.
  • Repository of papers as reported in the living document.
  • Four papers have been published.
  • One joint paper has been submitted.
  • A report on a framework for the optimization of power supply.
  • A simulator of of portions of RANs powered with renewables
2. Expected:
  • At least: 6 joint papers; 6 papers of individual partners.
  • A tool to simulate different scenarios corresponding to portions of a RAN powered by renewable energy generators.
  • Machine-learning algorithms to allocate radio and energy resources with the objective to reduce consumption and cope with failure of power supply systems shared with the scientific community.
3. Readiness level:
  • 30% on publications
  • 20% on the tool
  • 20% on solutions
Meetings have been performed roughly one per month, 6 in person or hybrid.
  • Deliverable D1: STATE OF THE ART AND REFERENCE SCENARIOS has been completed at M6.
  • Milestone M4 “Framework for the optimization of power supply” has been completed as planned has been completed at M15

Project PI: Michela Meo

Collaboration proposals

R4R plans to start new collaborations on topics related to sustainability and resilience, the objective being to answer to the following research questions:

  • what is the energy consumption of new telecommunication technologies? are they sustainable in the medium and long term?
  • how can different technologies be combined to make the telecommunication infrastructures more resilient?

For any proposal of collaboration within the project please contact the project PI.