HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia Siemens Networks aims to cut the energy consumption of some of its mobile base stations by up to 40 percent by 2010 in a move that should also boost profits, the telecoms network group said on Tuesday.

With new technology and software, fewer base stations would also be needed for the most power-hungry part of a mobile telecom network, it added.

By the year 2010, it said it would reduce energy consumption of its GSM and WCDMA base stations to 650 watts and 300 watts respectively, from the current levels of 800 watts and 500 watts.

"We have set ambitious goals that are reasonable both environmentally but also business-wise as energy is becoming more expensive," Nokia Siemens' head of environmentally sustainable business, Anne Larilahti, told Reuters in an interview.

Part of a base station can be shut down during times of low traffic which reduces the need for air conditioning on sites, the company added.

Finnish handset maker Nokia and German conglomerate Siemens decided to combine their telecoms network equipment businesses last year to gain scale against rivals such as Ericsson and Huawei.

"There is also the chance to make a profit," Larilahti said adding that it was possible to have a "net positive" impact with greener products.

"Only then, we can do this in the long term and not settle for short-term charity projects."

Larilahti said Nokia Siemens saw itself the top player in energy efficiency with its GSM base stations consuming 25 percent less energy compared with the next best competitor.

(Reporting by Sami Torma and Sakari Suoninen; editing by Paul Bolding)
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