5G-EcoSim: A Simulation Framework for Estimating 5G Energy Consumption Using Real-World Data and Analytical Models

The definition and deployment of next-generation mobile networks must incorporate considerations of sustainability and environmental impact. In this context, estimating the energy consumption of a mobile network deployment across a city or region is of utmost importance. Nationwide historical aggregate values are informative but do not allow to understand the underlying dynamics or to perform prospective studies. There is hence a need for bottom-up approaches to assess the energy consumption of mobile networks. However, this is a complex task, as it depends on numerous factors, including the number and spatial distribution of base stations, the underlying technologies and their configuration, as well as user demand patterns and their geographic distribution. This paper thus introduces a simulation framework aimed at estimating the energy consumption of 5G networks at urban, regional or national scale. The framework integrates radio propagation models operating in the 3.5 GHz band with publicly available datasets describing user and base station locations, as well as network traffic volumes. As a case study, we consider the 5G deployment in France and examine the spatial distribution of network load and the resulting energy consumption. The source code and datasets are publicly available, ensuring that the simulator is fully reproducible and easily adaptable to other use cases, countries, or regions.