Jakarta, INTI - The rapid growth of digital services and video streaming is driving a surge in wireless broadband traffic in Indonesia. This situation requires telecommunications operators to continuously expand and improve their Base Transceiver Station (BTS) infrastructure, while ensuring efficient and sustainable energy use.
To address this challenge, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) discussed a framework for modeling cellular network energy requirements during a webinar. BRIN introduced a new approach to calculating network energy requirements based on BTS stock representation and site composition variations, which has not yet been available at the macro level.
Mardi Marta Dinata, a Junior Research Expert at BRIN's Telecommunications Research Center, stated that there has been no comprehensive analytical framework capable of assisting telecommunications operators in developing long-term plans for improving energy efficiency and decarbonizing BTS networks.
"The surge in broadband traffic demands a massive increase in BTS capacity. However, without a robust energy modeling framework, analytical capabilities for designing network efficiency and decarbonization strategies are limited. Through this webinar, we introduce a cellular network energy demand model that addresses the limitations of conventional approaches," Mardi said.
Stock Distribution is Adjusted to the Needs of Each Region
Furthermore, BRIN discussed the composition of the BTS stock in Indonesia, including its spatial distribution and the characteristics of energy needs in each region. This study is considered relevant not only for Indonesia but also for developing countries in Asia facing similar challenges.
The main discussion in the webinar covered two key modeling elements: the composition of the BTS site stock at the district/city level, and the estimation of energy needs at the BTS site level using an archetype approach that represents physical and technical characteristics.
According to Mardi, this archetype-based approach opens up opportunities for further development.
"This framework can be extended to other regions with limited data. By representing the characteristics of base transceiver stations (BTS), this approach also allows for calculating the contribution of hybrid renewable energy systems, thereby accelerating the clean energy transition in the telecommunications industry," he explained.
The Director of BRIN's Telecommunications Research Center, Nasrullah Armi, stated that from an institutional perspective, this study has strategic value for the national agenda.
"From BRIN's perspective, this study is expected to produce research-based recommendations regarding telecommunications network energy efficiency and power consumption optimization. Furthermore, the results of this study and webinar are expected to strengthen collaboration between the government, industry, telecommunications operators, and academics in supporting national digital transformation, energy security, and achieving Indonesia's development targets," he said.
Conclusion
BRIN highlighted the increasing energy needs of telecommunications networks in Indonesia due to the surge in broadband traffic and video streaming services. BRIN introduced a cellular network energy demand model based on BTS stock and site characteristics to help operators improve energy efficiency and support network decarbonization. The study also discussed BTS distribution and energy needs across various regions, including opportunities for utilizing hybrid renewable energy in telecommunications networks.
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