Energy-efficient 5G network features could reduce indirect carbon emissions across the UK economy by around 25 million tonnes of CO2, according to new research from the University of Surrey. The findings suggest that optimised 5G technologies may lower energy use not only within telecoms infrastructure but across industries that depend heavily on digital connectivity.
The study, published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling, challenges assumptions that 5G deployment will inevitably increase national energy demand. Instead, researchers argue that next-generation mobile networks, if designed with energy efficiency in mind, could contribute to emissions reductions across sectors including finance, IT services, transport and construction.
Energy-Efficient 5G and Economy-Wide Emissions Impact
Using UK economic and emissions data, the research team developed an environmentally extended input–output (EEIO) model tailored to the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. This framework allowed researchers to trace how reductions in telecoms energy use could produce knock-on emissions savings across 33 sectors of the UK economy.
The modelling focused on 10 emerging technologies: six aimed at improving base station efficiency and four targeting user device energy consumption. These included AI-driven multi-level sleep modes that allow mobile masts to power down during low demand, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) that redirect radio waves with minimal energy use, cluster-zooming techniques in cell-free MIMO networks that dynamically adjust coverage areas, and improved handset signalling to avoid unnecessary background network checks.
Among the technologies assessed, AI-powered sleep control for base stations and enhanced control-channel signalling on user devices were found to deliver the largest emissions reductions. According to the researchers, these features are capable of reducing electricity demand within telecoms networks while also lowering indirect emissions embedded in supply chains.
Dr Lirong Liu, Associate Professor at Surrey’s Centre for Environment and Sustainability, said the modelling framework made it possible to quantify indirect effects that are often overlooked, particularly emissions linked to electricity generation and upstream production processes.
Digital Infrastructure and Net Zero Policy
The analysis suggests that sectors such as financial services, IT services and computer programming could experience some of the largest indirect benefits, reflecting the UK economy’s dependence on digital infrastructure.
Professor Pei Xiao of Surrey’s Institute for Communication Systems noted that many of the assessed features are already under consideration in engineering roadmaps. The study argues that realising the full potential of energy-efficient 5G will require policy frameworks that extend beyond coverage and speed targets to include energy performance criteria.
The researchers suggest that measures such as incorporating energy efficiency requirements into spectrum licensing, incentivising low-power network design and aligning telecoms innovation funding with net zero objectives could help unlock economy-wide carbon benefits.
The UK Government has committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and digital infrastructure is increasingly recognised as both a source of emissions and a potential enabler of decarbonisation across other sectors. Further reporting on energy and digital transition developments can be found in our Technology & Innovation coverage.
