Renewable energy assisted base station collaboration as micro grid

Abstract

In this paper, we present the case for cellular base stations enabled with renewable energy sources (RES) to be interconnected in a mini-smart grid (SG). Such an arrangement is envisaged to power the base stations (BSs) with clean sustainable energy as well as provide power to the local community. The technologies associated with RES as well as SGs have matured enough to be integrated with cellular NWs, for the benefit of both the network operator and the community. We also explore an energy cost minimization framework for a cellular network, by formulating a novel energy cooperation scheme that ensures optimal energy cooperation between green BSs. In our proposed economical and environment friendly frame work, the grid energy is minimized by optimal sharing of surplus green energy among the base stations. The intended scenario requires causal knowledge of harvested energy as well as traffic awareness by the network to workout energy demand of a BS and local grid. A realistic objective is developed, which entails energy borrowing from neighboring base stations offering their cheaper surplus energy, thereby reducing the overall energy cost of the network.