Addressing the methodological and architectural gaps in energy efficiency assessment for multi-vendor Open RAN systems, the white paper proposes a unified approach to enable fair, reproducible, and actionable energy metrics/benchmarks across diverse network components.
Even today, RAN consumes ~70-80% of total network energy for mobile operators, as energy demands only rise with 5G’s high data rates, massive MIMO, and dense deployments. In this, Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN, or O-RAN) in 5G and 6G systems introduce a paradigm shift toward disaggregated, multi-vendor architectures. While this openness fosters innovation and cost efficiency, it presents significant challenges in evaluating and optimizing energy efficiency across heterogeneous components. Open RAN environments involve diverse hardware and software stacks with varying performance profiles, telemetry capabilities, and power management strategies. A problem this comprehensive framework to evaluate energy efficiency in 5G disaggregated/Open RAN networks tackles.
Looking ahead, the transition to 6G will only intensify the need for energy-conscious network design, making sustainability a core architectural principle. Green RAN initiatives and carbon accounting mechanisms will become integral to future network planning, driving the industry toward more transparent and accountable energy usage models. The standardized energy KPIs and open telemetry frameworks could be key enablers.
