This project aims to provision energy-efficient communications by powering wireless access networks with renewable energy. Wireless access networks and the power grid are envisioned to be deployed in a distributed manner in which a distributed base station consumes less amount of power that can be generated by renewable energy. Optimization theory and game theory are applied to study the interaction between the wireless access networks and the power grids, to optimize the operation of wireless access networks by integrating the power distribution of the micro grid into the design and optimization of the wireless access networks, and to design the operation of the micro grid by considering characteristics of both the power demand of the consumers (wireless access networks) and the distributed energy resources (renewable power generators). The research explores the potential of applying renewable energy into powering wireless networks, and stimulates the large scale application of renewable energy in helping green the society and reduce the carbon footprint of the environment. Two major results are anticipated: 1) the algorithms that optimize the operation of renewable energy powered wireless networks (REPWiNet), and 2) the communication protocols that coordinate the wireless access network with the underlying power grids. The insights and results derived from designing REPWiNet will provide guidelines not only for designing wireless access networks but also for designing the power distribution and coordination in micro grids. Research results will be posted on a website as well as submitted for publications in journals and presentations at premium conferences.
REPWiNet leverages the future of both wireless access networks and power grid, and aims to design an overly network where wireless access networks are built on top of the micro grid. Designing REPWiNet consists of two aspects of research, 1) designing and optimizing wireless access networks, and 2) optimizing the power utilization of REPWiNet. The research outcomes of REPWiNet include five papers, two patent applications, and one small test-bed. We have designed auction-based energy spectrum trading scheme which enhances the energy and spectrum efficiency of wireless networks. We have also designed energy agile packet scheduling algorithm and green energy aware radio cell adaptation algorithms to optimize the operation of wireless access networks according the green energy status. These designs and findings provide the knowledge in designing energy efficient wireless access networks powered by green energy. In addition, we have designed algorithms to optimize the green energy utilization in cellular networks powered by multiple energy sources. These findings provide insights on designing and optimizing the operation of micro grid (distributed green energy generators) according to traffic demands and characteristics of the energy generation. By jointly optimizing the wireless network and the green energy utilization, these research findings help understand the interactions between the wireless access networks and the micro grid with renewable power generators. These research outcomes have been converted into two patent applications. To integrate the research and education, we have established a REU platform and recruited three undergraduate students working on REPWiNet. This REU platform provides the students hand-on experiences on designing and prototyping wireless communication systems.
