Dawn of Green Mobile Networks
Mobile phones have long begun conquering parts of the world that are far from the nearest electrical substation. However, the rising oil prices are causing a great concern for operators. In the far reaches of places like Africa and Pakistan, companies such as Ericsson or Nokia Siemens Networks are installing new cellular base stations at a rapid pace. These facilities almost always get their power from diesel–powered generators. Fuel accounts for as much as two-thirds of base-station operating costs. In addition, there are the transport charges for trucking diesel over poor roads to remote areas and guarding it against thefts. As a result, green energy is all of a sudden transforming from just a feel-good project to a serious workable option for the mobile service providers. As mobile networks are fast expanding beyond the reach of power grids, they need to find a less expensive alternative to diesel. After years of experimentations on base stations powered by wind, solar energy and biofuel equipment, suppliers are preparing to roll out alternative energy technology in significant numbers.
Two Asian network operators are expected to announce plans for more than 500 new base stations which are powered by a combination of sun and wind. Solving the power problem has all of a sudden become a key factor in maintaining the growth of the mobile industry. The number of mobile subscribers is expected to climb to a mind staggering 5 billion by 2015. A large proportion of those new users will be in rural areas that have little infrastructure. Flexenclosure, a Swedish firm that makes shelters for base staion equipment, estimates that in Africa alone 40,000 new base stations will be located beyond the reach of reliable electrical grids during the next few years. Thanks to advances in technology, it’s becoming more practical to run base stations with renewable energy. For instance, it requires only one fourth as many solar cells to power a base station from five years ago.
Equipment producers have also put more effort in reducing the amount of power that a base station needs in the first place. Ericsson buries the battery for base stations about 20 feet underground, reducing the need for energy gulping cooling equipment (besides it also reduces the risk of theft). Installing the radio equipment at the top of the tower next to the antenna also helps to save power. The shorter the cable connecting the radio to the antenna, lesser is the power lost in transmission. Nokia Siemens is working on software that shuts down part of the base station at night, when there is less demand. Power conservation is turning out to be a major area of competition, and mobile service providers are racking their brains to come up with the base station that consumes the lowest amount of power. In fact, someday, green powered base stations may start popping up even in developed countries where the power grid is everywhere and reliable, but the pressure is mounting to reduce carbon emissions.
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.