Abstract
Renewable energy (RE)-powered base stations (BSs) have been considered
as an attractive solution to address the exponential increasing energy
demand in cellular networks while decreasing carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions. For the regions where reliable power grids are insufficient
and infeasible to deploy, such as aerial platforms and harsh
environments, RE has been an alternative power source for BSs. In this
survey paper, we provide an overview of RE-enabled cellular networks,
detailing their analysis, classification, and related works. First, we
introduce the key components of RE-powered BSs along with their
frequently adopted models. Second, we analyze the proposed strategies
and design issues for RE-powered BSs that can be incorporated into
cellular networks and categorize them into several groups to provide a
good grasp. Third, we introduce feasibility studies on RE-powered BSs
based on the recent literature. Fourth, we investigate RE-powered
network components other than terrestrial BSs to address potential
issues regarding RE-enabled networks. Finally, we suggest future
research directions and conclusions.