Eco-Friendly 0G Networks: Unlocking the Power of Backscatter Communications for a Greener Future

Backscatter Communication (BackCom) technology has emerged as a promising paradigm for the Green Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, offering advantages such as low power consumption, cost-effectiveness, and ease of deployment. While traditional BackCom systems, such as RFID technology, have found widespread applications, the advent of ambient backscatter presents new opportunities for expanding applications and enhancing capabilities. Moreover, ongoing standardization efforts are actively focusing on BackCom technologies, positioning them as a potential solution to meet the near-zero power consumption and massive connectivity requirements of next-generation wireless systems. 0G networks have the potential to provide advanced solutions by leveraging BackCom technology to deliver ultra-low-power, ubiquitous connectivity for the expanding IoT ecosystem, supporting billions of devices with minimal energy consumption. This paper investigates the integration of BackCom and 0G networks to enhance the capabilities of traditional BackCom systems and enable Green IoT. We conduct an in-depth analysis of BackCom-enabled 0G networks, exploring their architecture and operational objectives, and also explore the Waste Factor (WF) metric for evaluating energy efficiency and minimizing energy waste within integrated systems. By examining both structural and operational aspects, we demonstrate how this synergy enhances the performance, scalability, and sustainability of next-generation wireless networks. Moreover, we highlight possible applications, open challenges, and future directions, offering valuable insights for guiding future research and practical implementations aimed at achieving large-scale, sustainable IoT deployments.