ENDNOTES
1. Click Here
2. Calculations behind the bar chart: studies about our environmental
footprint tend to include large error margins. However, error margins
do not compromise this article's conclusions.
a) 5G's USAGE ENERGY (energy consumed while operating 5G networks):
Ferreboeuf & Jancovici report that 5G's annual electricity
consumption would reach 10 TWh in France. To find the order of magnitude
of 5G's worldwide consumption, we can use a simple rule of three: 10
TWh (5G electricity use France) Ã-- 24 738 TWh (2018 world's electricity
use) Ã · 474 TWh (France's 2018 electricity use) = 522 TWh
(5G annual worldwide electricity use). Then, to find the Primary Energy
(PE) needed to produce this electricity, multiply 522 TWh by a number
called Primary Energy Factor (PEF) = 3.4. This is the PEF used by Green
IT France, and in my calculations. Green IT reported on worldwide
digital footprint (link below). 522 TWh Ã-- 3.4 (PEF) = 1770 TWh (5G annual PE used to run 5G networks). Sources: H. Ferreboeuf, J.-M. Jancovici, "Faut-il faire la 5G?" Click Here; https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics (consumption of electricity by country and internationally)
b) 5G's MANUFACTURING ENERGY (energy used to build 5G networks):
Nokia reports that 7% of cellular antennas' CO2 is emitted while manufacturing them, while 93% of CO2 is emitted while operating them. However, 5G uses much more electricity than 4G. This might reduce manufacturing CO2 to less than 7%, and increase CO2
emissions during 5G's operations to above 93%. Roughly, we can
approximate 5G's manufacturing Primary Energy (PE) as up to 7% of its
total PE use. Based on 5G's usage-related PE (1770 TWh), 5G's
manufacturing would add an annual 1770 TWh à · 93% Ã-- 7% = 133 TWh (5G annual PE used to build 5G networks). Source: Nokia People & Planet Report 2019 (pg 28).
Click Here
c) ENERGY FOR NETWORKS, USER DEVICES, DATA CENTRES:
F. Bordage, GreenIT.fr, "Environmental footprint of the digital world", 2019 Click Here
3. Cisco predicts 46% annual growth (CAGR) in mobile traffic. This represents a 10-fold increase in 6 years, and a 100-fold increase in 12 years (each mobile generation spans about a decade). Click Here
4. Energy use of Sweden = 49,8 Mtoe = 579 TWh. Click Here
5. In note #2, we found that worldwide 5G would annually need 522 TWh of electricity. Converted to gigawatts of electric power, this is 59 GW. The largest last-generation nuclear reactor (the EPR) produces 1.65 GW of continuous power. We would therefore need about 59 Ã · 1.65 = 36 EPRs to power 5G. Click Here
6. Note #5 explains that 5G would need 59 gigawatts (GW) of
continuous power. The largest offshore wind turbine (the Haliade-X)
produces 12 megawatts (MW) of power when there is strong wind. 12 MW is
0.012 GW. To compensate for lack of wind, we must apply a capacity
factor (a very generous 0.63 for this turbine). To power 5G, we
therefore need about 59 Ã · (0.63 Ã-- 0.012) = 7804 Haliade-X.
Click Here
7. On average, each kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity produced in the world emits 475 grams of CO2. .iea.org/articles/global-co2-emissions-in-2019
Global electricity production to feed 5G (522 TWh) would emit 522 Ã-- 0.475 MtCO2 = 248 megatons (MtCO2 annually).
8. CO2 annual emissions of Sweden = 34.5 megatons Click Here
CO2 annual emissions from aviation = 900 megatons
https://www.iea.org/topics/transport
9. Click Here
10. William Webb, The 5G Myth, 3rd Edition, 2019.
Matt Hatton, William Webb, The Internet of Things Myth, 2020.
11. "5G commercial application is getting closer and closer, base
station construction will drive demand for lithium battery above 155
GWh". (gigawatt hours)
Click Here
12. Click Here
13. Telehealth consultations function perfectly at speeds as low as 1.5 to 10 megabits per second (Mbps). Click Here
14. Telesurgery and telehealth require a response time (RTL latency) below 300 milliseconds (ms). Click Here
15. Use of wireless networks for  « fixed  » connections is called Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). According to Ericsson, FWA would reach 25% of mobile traffic in 2025 Click Here
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