This paper introduces Waste Factor (W), also denoted as Waste Figure (WF) in dB, a promising new metric for quantifying energy efficiency in a wide range of circuits and systems applications, including data centers and RANs. Also, the networks used to connect data centers and AI computing engines with users for ML applications must become more power efficient. This paper illustrates the limitations of existing energy efficiency metrics that inadequately capture the intricate energy dynamics of RAN components. We delineate the methodology for applying W across various network configurations, including MISO, SIMO, and MIMO systems, and demonstrate the effectiveness of W in identifying energy optimization opportunities. Our findings reveal that W not only offers nuanced insights into the energy performance of RANs but also facilitates informed decision-making for network design and operational efficiency. Furthermore, we show how W can be integrated with other KPIs to guide the development of optimal strategies for enhancing network energy efficiency under different operational conditions. Additionally, we present simulation results for a distributed multi-user MIMO system at 3.5, 17, and 28 GHz, demonstrating overall network power efficiency on a per square kilometer basis, and show how overall W decreases with an increasing number of base stations and increasing carrier frequency. This paper shows that adopting W as a figure of merit can significantly contribute to the sustainability and energy optimization of next-generation wireless communication networks, paving the way for greener and more sustainable, energy-efficient 5G and 6G technologies.

翻译：本文提出了一种名为浪费因子（W，以分贝表示时亦称浪费系数WF）的新指标，用于量化从数据中心到无线接入网（RAN）等广泛电路及系统的能效。此外，连接数据中心与人工智能计算引擎至机器学习应用用户的网络必须提升能效。本文揭示了现有能效指标在捕捉RAN组件复杂能量动态方面的局限性，阐述了将W应用于MISO、SIMO和MIMO等多种网络配置的方法论，并论证了W在识别能效优化机会中的有效性。研究结果表明，W不仅能提供对RAN能量性能的精细洞察，还可辅助网络设计与运行效率的决策优化。我们进一步展示了W如何与其他关键性能指标（KPI）整合，以指导不同运行条件下提升网络能效的最优策略开发。此外，本文呈现了分布式多用户MIMO系统在3.5 GHz、17 GHz和28 GHz频段下的仿真结果，展示了基于每平方公里尺度的整体网络功率效率，并揭示了W随基站数量增加及载波频率升高而整体下降的特性。研究表明，将W作为优值指标可显著促进下一代无线通信网络的可持续性与能量优化，为更绿色、更可持续、更高能效的5G和6G技术奠定基础。