RF Wireless Power Transfer: Regreening Future Networks

Over the past few years, green radio communication has drawn much attention from the research community, and it has a strong impact on various aspects, such as telecom businesses, wireless technologies, and natural environments. Specifically, the cost of electricity and CO₂ emissions have been increasing due to wireless network operation. For instance, the number of base stations (BSs) is more than 4 million, and each BS consumes an average of 25 MWh/year (an estimated approximate of 80% of the total network's power consumption). Bearing in mind the environmental perspective, generating sufficient power to supply the networks causes a significant CO₂ footprint. Particularly, the overall footprint of information and communication technology (ICT) services (e.g., computer, cell phone, and satellite networks) is predicted to triple by 2020.