News


Alternative power GSM cell site trial

7 March 2007 News

Motorola has signed an agreement with the GSM Association (GSMA) and MTC Namibia to conduct a trial for wind and solar power systems to support the African operator’s remote GSM cell sites.

This is the first customer-based trial globally and the trial is expected to run from April to July 2007.

The trial involves the installation of the Motorola wind and solar solution at an operational MTC Namibia cell site where the solution will become the electrical power source for the site. The cell site will remain a part of MTC Namibia's current wireless network and continue to carry the same levels of traffic.

This 'green' solution provides a feasible and efficient alternative to using fuel generators when a main grid connection is not available or it will take a long time to connect. Once installed, the cost of power is almost zero, and wind and solar powered cell sites require minimal maintenance unlike a diesel driven generator. This translates into added savings in operating expenditure (OPEX), a key factor to emerging market network operators.

This trial follows Motorola's successful UK trial in 2006 which demonstrated the feasibility of alternative power systems to support remote GSM base stations (BTS). The trial concluded that a combination of solar cells and wind turbines can generate 1200 W in a continual cycle; enough to drive a mid-sized BTS and support a microwave backhaul installation.

For more information see www.motorola.com, www.gsmworld.com/developmentfund and www.mtc.com.na





Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Trina Storage ranked in top 10
News
Amidst the global energy storage market, Trina Storage has once again earned recognition from authoritative institutions with its outstanding innovation capabilities and global layout.

Read more...
2025 outlook for DRAM is poor
News
According to TrendForce, weak demand outlook and rising inventory and supply forecast to pressure DRAM prices down for 2025.

Read more...
Price hike to challenge energy reforms
News
Eskom’s proposed 44% price hike could undermine renewable energy gains despite tech innovation.

Read more...
IO Ninja debugging tool
RF Design News
Tibbo has released a major update to IO Ninja, its versatile communications debugging tool for Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Read more...
Young SA robotics team takes world title
News
In a demonstration of innovation and teamwork, Texpand, a South African youth robotics team based in Cape Town, recently made history by winning the 2024 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) World Championships.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: A brave new world
Technews Publishing News
The technology Tesla currently uses in its cars from the batteries, power electronics, controllers, through to the mechanics, gearboxes, and the AI inference computer and software have are incorporated in the development of Optimus, allowing the development of the robot to gain impressive features in a relatively short time span.

Read more...
Seven Labs partnership enhances local electronics distribution
Seven Labs Technology News
Aimed at revolutionising the electronics distribution landscape in South Africa, Seven Labs has announced a partnership with LCSC, one of China’s most reputable electronics distributors.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: How electronics is shaping modern warfare
Technews Publishing News
From radar systems and encrypted communications to drones and cyber warfare, electronic devices have transformed the battlefield into a highly digitised and networked environment.

Read more...
Global semiconductor sales increase 18,7% YoY
News
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced that global semiconductor industry sales hit $51,3 billion during the month of July 2024, an increase of 18,7%.

Read more...
Renesas completes acquisition of Altium
News
Altium is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Renesas, with Altium CEO Aram Mirkazemi assuming the role of senior vice president and head of Renesas’ Software & Digitalization.

Read more...