Nokia and Elisa see sustainability leap in world-first 5G liquid cooling deployment

Nokia’s liquid cooling 5G AirScale Base Station solution has helped Finnish mobile operator, Elisa, reduce the potential energy expenses of its base station by 30 percent and CO2 emissions by approximately 80 percent. This is the first time a commercial 5G liquid cooling solution has been deployed anywhere in the world and highlights Nokia’s strong commitment to sustainability and combatting climate change. 

The Nokia Bell Labs-developed solution will enable Elisa to achieve 30 percent lower power consumption and related savings at its site in Helsinki, Finland. Approximately 90 percent of energy consumed by base stations is converted to waste heat, however, with a heat re-use option – where waste heat is converted and repurposed – Elisa has been able to reduce its CO2 emissions by approximately 80 percent. 

Liquid cooled sites are silent, require zero maintenance, and can be 50 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than standard active air conditioning units. They offer operators and owners of base station sites significant savings and potentially longer base station component life.

Technology innovation plays a key role in achieving a more sustainable planet and better,

healthier lives for all people. Liquid cooling is another example of Nokia’s long-standing commitment to sustainability. In 2019, the company delivered zero-emission products to over 150 customers worldwide. It is also committed to decreasing emissions from its operations by 41 percent by 2030. 46 percent less energy was used on average in the customer base station sites Nokia modernized in 2019 compared to those where its customers did not modernize. Last year, Nokia also joined a group of 87 companies at the United Nations climate summit in committing to recalibrate its existing science-based climate targets in line with the 1.5°C warming scenario.

Sami Komulainen, Executive Vice President of Production at Elisa, said: “Elisa has set a clear target to be carbon neutral at the end of 2020. We also want to maintain our 5G leadership and continue to be amongst the top operators in the world to offer the wide benefits of this new technology to our customers. Innovations such as Nokia’s liquid cooling 5G base station demonstrate how 5G can help drive sustainability.”   

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: “Our greatest contribution to overcoming the world’s sustainability challenges is through the solutions and technology we develop and provide. Nokia was first to introduce a liquid cooled base station with the 2G, 3G and 4G base stations with Elisa in Finland. Now we have demonstrated the world’s first liquid cooled AirScale 5G base station in commercial operations, making liquid cooling a reality for all network generations. This innovative solution supports operators in their quest to be more environmentally responsible while allowing them to achieve significant cost savings.”