December 12, 2006

Motorola Powers BSTs with Wind, Solar

According to tests by Motorola, a combination of solar cells and wind turbines can generate 1,200 watts in a continual cycle to drive a mid-sized remote GSM Base Station (BTS) and support a microwave backhaul installation.

Motorola says that powering BTS sites in both developed and emerging markets is a challenge for operators because of the high cost or difficulty of provisioning mains electrical power. Motorola green-powered BTS, part of the company’s Reach GSM portfolio, can replace or reduce the load on mains power and can also remove the need for power generators that require continual re-fueling and security.

“In areas such as central Africa, operators can spend as much as two-thirds of their operating costs on diesel power,” comments Mohammad Akhtar, vice president, global product management GSM/UMTS, Motorola Sales and Services. “Using eco-powered BTS can help operators to lower operating costs. This reduction in operating expenditure can be critical for operators in emerging markets when building networks that reach customers in remote locations.”

In collaboration with Bristol, Bath and Surrey Universities, Motorola successfully ran the year-long test at its GSM facility in Swindon, UK. During the trials, Motorola used a combination of solar and wind power to run a GSM base station and charge batteries that kick in when the solar or wind power is insufficient. Motorola’s alternative power solutions are now available to trial in live networks across the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions.

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