Renewable energy to replace diesel for remote cell sites – Nokia

Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) says that operators installing cell sites in remote locations will select renewable energy as their first choice by as early as 2011.

Pointing to the requirements of operators in fast growing emerging markets where electricity grids are not always available, NSN says that renewable energy such as wind and solar is now mature and will be increasingly deployed as solutions for remote sites. Today, these sites are typically powered by diesel generators, which require regular refuelling and skilled maintenance and are susceptible to theft.

Most importantly, the cost of diesel is high and is expected to rise in the future, Nokia adds.
“A sustainable alternative to power remote base station sites is to use renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. By 2011, our first choice to power these sites will be renewable energy”, said Anne Larilahti, head of environmentally sustainable business, Nokia Siemens Networks, in a speech given in the Green Forum industry event in Beijing last week.

NSN is now offering operators what it calls autonomous sites, which can be configured with solar and wind systems to best suit the environmental conditions at the site.

“Solar and wind technologies are mature, they have a long life time, their operational cost is almost nonexistent and the capital expenditure required is decreasing. The lowering investment cost and the increasing prices of fossil fuels work together to improve the business case of utilizing renewable energy sources” said Larilahti.

“This is good news for telecom operators in China that are looking for ways to manage their long term costs. As China’s government moves ahead with plans to increase its renewable energy supply and focus on energy reduction technologies, Nokia Siemens Networks’ wind and solar solutions will help to power the increasing demands in the telecommunications industry. Not only will this result in cost and energy savings for operators, but it will contribute to a greener environment for all,” said David Ho, chairman of Nokia Siemens Networks, Greater China region.

Both Ericsson and Motorola offer renewable energy-powered cell site solutions.
Nokia Siemens Networks through its parent companies has been working on alternative energy sources since 1981. Currently NSN base station sites running on renewable energy sources have been installed to approximately 30 countries.
NEW COLLABORATION WITH ACME TELEPOWER: NSN also entered a global collaboration deal with ACME TelePower, an India-based producer of passive infrastructure solutions for telecommunications networks. NSN and ACME will work together to offer efficient operation, maintenance and energy management solutions to telecom operators.
“While we have made significant headway in the market with our energy efficiency solutions, we are continually exploring new ways to drive environmental sustainability and reduce costs for our customers. With ACME, we see an opportunity to break new ground with further innovative customer solutions. We are looking forward to working with them in emerging markets where the ability to provide cost effective rural connectivity is key,” said Ashish Chowdhary, head of Managed Services, Nokia Siemens Networks.

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Tags: clean energy, energy efficiency, Mobile, Nokia, Renewables, solar, wind

Category: Applications, Climate change, Mobile, Renewables