Market Interest and Business Viability

Experts from telecom operators, consulting firms, and IT service providers emphasized that sustainability is becoming a key factor in decision-making for companies and customers. Many businesses are actively seeking energy-efficient solutions to reduce costs and carbon emissions, aligning with investor expectations.

A telecommunications infrastructure expert noted:

"É uma solução atrativa, os investidores atuais procuram uma solução que visa reduzir a carbon footprint. Todos os nossos projetos têm em conta a eficiência energética como parâmetro base, tendo em conta otimização de materiais, custos de operação, etc." ("It is an attractive solution; current investors are looking for solutions aimed at reducing the carbon footprint. All our projects consider energy efficiency as a key parameter, taking into account material optimization, operating costs, etc.")

However, some noted that existing energy optimization efforts focus primarily on software and transmission protocols, with infrastructure-based solutions receiving less immediate attention. Despite this, our platform’s ability to combine multiple environmental and operational factors into a single system was seen as an innovative and valuable approach. Several interviewees highlighted the rising energy costs and the push for low-emission infrastructure as strong drivers for adoption.

Technical Challenges and Replicability

When asked about the technical complexity of implementing our solution, industry professionals generally agreed that hardware acquisition and data collection are feasible, but the software algorithms for optimization present a greater challenge. The proprietary nature of these algorithms could be a key differentiator, making the solution harder to replicate.

A sustainability consultant emphasized:

"As preocupações de sustentabilidade são cada vez mais relevantes para as empresas, fornecedores e clientes. Os consumidores em geral exigem que as empresas se preocupem com o tema e cada vez mais os fornecedores são selecionados com base nestas preocupações." ("Sustainability concerns are increasingly relevant for companies, suppliers, and customers. Consumers, in general, demand that companies address this issue, and suppliers are increasingly selected based on these concerns.")

Sustainability in Telecommunications: A Growing Concern

Energy experts and renewable energy specialists confirmed that sustainability is an increasingly relevant challenge for the telecommunications sector. As energy demands rise with the expansion of 5G and future 6G networks, companies are actively exploring alternative energy sources and advanced optimization techniques.

An energy expert noted:

"As necessidades energéticas são crescentes. É necessário suportar maiores potências, velocidades de transmissão, complexidades em data centers sendo o consumo de energia um requisito fundamental. A otimização radical é necessária em projetos a grande escala." ("Energy demands are growing. It is necessary to support higher power levels, transmission speeds, and complexities in data centers, with energy consumption being a fundamental requirement. Radical optimization is needed for large-scale projects.")

Next Steps

Our discussions also extended to research institutions and academia, where the topic of energy efficiency in telecom networks is gaining traction. Experts in this field acknowledged that combining network performance data with renewable energy potential is an innovative approach, with practical applications in remote and underserved areas.

A researcher in telecommunications stated:

"Esta solução, a concretizar-se, tem potencial para aplicação prática, embora o caminho de transição da investigação até ao produto industrial seja longo e complexo." ("If implemented, this solution has the potential for practical application, although the transition from research to an industrial product is long and complex.")

Looking ahead, we will use these insights to refine our development approach, ensuring that our solution aligns with market needs and technical feasibility. Our next steps include incorporating expert feedback into our software architecture, sensor selection, and energy efficiency models.