Turkcell Aims To Achieve Sustainability Goals With Huawei E2E Green Site Solution
In the telecommunications sector, there is increasing demand for reducing energy consumption in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
According to a recent report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global warming is expected to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040 unless concerted efforts are made to reduce carbon emissions.
Turkcell, an integrated telecommunications and technology services provider in Turkey since 1994, aims to reduce its carbon footprint and become carbon neutral by 2050. Rising electricity prices require companies to reduce energy consumption.
"Turkcell attaches great importance to the goals of sustainable development and environmental responsibility. Our strategy includes implementing best practices and policies that reduce our impact on the environment, such as reducing waste and emissions, conserving resources, and using renewable energy sources. As part of our approach to sustainability, Turkcell will use 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030." It aims to meet demand and become a truly carbon-free company by 2050. To achieve this goal, Turkcell is the first GSM operator to be certified by ISO 50001 Energy Management System and the international standard ISO 14064 for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emission certificates in Turkey Elif Yenihan Kaya, Director of Network Opportunities, Turkcell.
Cooperate with Huawei
Turkcell partnered with Huawei earlier this year to accelerate its efforts to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The two companies jointly developed the Huawei Green Site solution in Antalya. The Turkcell project is designed not only to reduce environmental impact, but also to reduce energy costs.
In April 2022, Turkcell and Huawei jointly developed an eco-friendly network solution designed to benefit both carriers and the environment. Huawei's Green Site Solution is based on the "More Bits, Lesser Watts" philosophy. Firstly, Turkcell helps reduce energy consumption, which directly leads to savings in operating costs. In addition, energy efficiency improvements support the transition of 2G and 3G users to 4G and 5G services. Lastly, telecommunication companies' efforts to reduce their carbon footprint have helped them better fulfill their social responsibilities due to positive impacts on the environment.
"We have decided to carry out a joint green space project with Huawei. In April 2022, based on our evaluation and design, Turkcell and Huawei implemented the first AI green space solution in Antalya. Basically, solar panels will provide green energy to the site. Moreover, , an intelligent AI-based system of sunlight Manages excess solar energy generated into lithium batteries and provides power to the facility at night, which increases the net energy generated by sunlight Solar energy accounts for more than 70% of a facility's energy consumption, which reduces emissions carbon and save energy costs The results of reducing CO2 emissions exceeded our expectations, said Elif Yenihan Kaya.
Huawei Turkcell has launched a three-layer solution to help improve network and operational sustainability. This solution is designed to reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.
For the first time in the industry, the NCIE indicator was released to measure the carbon footprint of the entire network.
The Huawei Green Site solution provides NCIe (Network Carbon Intensity), an energy efficiency measure provided by Huawei and certified by ITU-T SG5. It consists of three layers: Radio Access Network (RAN), Ground and Equipment (BBU/RRU/Antenna). The carbon footprint measures and monitors each traffic segment and estimates how much data traffic is transmitted per kilowatt.
A complete solution to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs
The Huawei Green Site solution helps reduce Turkcell's operating costs. This is a simple, renewable and smart solution.
The all-in-one cabinet replaces the traditional shelter, thereby reducing the high energy consumption of air conditioners and increasing the facility's energy efficiency. In addition, the blade's strength left enough room for future evolution.
The solution uses solar energy, which provides sufficient renewable energy for daily consumption. Plus, the shade protection helps generate 10% more electricity. Huawei's Green Site solution uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide greater visibility and control, resulting in better overall management. The use of artificial intelligence makes it possible to calculate standby hours according to weather conditions, enabling solar integration with lithium batteries to avoid high solar energy losses.
Professional service to increase your ROI
First, the NCIe metrics based on multivariate assessment services enable the adoption of a low-carbon RAN strategy and a focus on areas of high green impact. Second, the best solutions are designed and their benefits are calculated using digital design platforms. Finally, operators should use eco-friendly upgrade solutions for the entire network to achieve maximum impact.
In Antalya, Turkcell deployed the Huawei Green Site end-to-end solution, a highly efficient AI-powered iSolar system that stores renewable energy from the sun in lithium batteries. Additionally, high-efficiency adjustment, lithium battery, and built-in cabinet allow moving devices to external cabinets, eliminating the need for shelters and air conditioners.
The impact of green site decisions
Using Huawei's Green Site solution helped Turkcell achieve 81% energy savings and reduce carbon emissions by 5.5 tons per year. The success of the project is measured by the fact that an average of 70% of daily energy consumption comes from solar energy.
The two-year project includes 50 teams to be sent to Turkey for the first time. Innovative end-to-end solutions set new benchmarks for the country's green revolution. Turkcell and Huawei are determined to create more value through continuous cooperation.
“We have decided to strengthen our partnership with Huawei on this project and plan to implement 500 green spaces by 2022. We hope to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.3 tons per year. Turkcell will continue to innovate in the field of green energy and become a role model for the industry," said Elif from Nihan Kaya.
Ensuring sustainability is the need of the hour and Turkcell and Huawei are leading the way for other telcos to adopt and implement sustainable practices.
