Solar Power for Mobile Network
- Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson partner on renewable
energy for mobile sites
- Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson test autonomous energy
supply for mobile sites aimed at reducing carbon footprint and saving
energy cost
In
a village about 100 miles north of Munich, Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson are
pioneering the use of solar energy for mobile broadband sites. The use of
renewable energy is increasing in sectors across Germany, but solar modules
have not yet been used to power commercial mobile broadband sites. Through the
joint initiative, the two companies want to show that independent energy supply
for mobile phone sites with solar power is possible.
As part of the project, small solar
modules – with a total surface area of about 12 m2 (129 ft2) - were erected at
a Deutsche Telekom mobile site in Dittenheim. The Ericsson Power System is
handling maximum power point tracking (MPP) as well as the necessary voltage
conversion. The solution also includes integration of the solar solutions
into the same management system that also controls the Radio Access Network
(RAN).
The tests, carried out in the second
half of 2020, showed that solar energy is able to contribute to more than
two-thirds of the site's total power during peak hours. Depending on the solar
irradiation and technology configuration, larger shares, including up to fully
autonomous power supply, where are also observed. This is thanks to the
energy-efficient radio equipment.
The project confirms the potential
of solar energy as an alternative power source for mobile sites and opens up
for other renewable power sources.
Leif Heitzer, Senior Vice President
Technology Guidance & Economics at Deutsche Telekom, says: "Autonomous
power supply for mobile sites not only reduces our CO2 emissions, but also
shall help enabling network expansion in locations, where development costs
were previously not economical."
Heather Johnson, Vice President for
Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson, says: “Ericsson is a
driving force for global climate action and this project is another example for
how a network-level approach can be deployed sustainably for mobile networks.
We welcome this partnership with Deutsche Telekom and we continue to be
committed to supporting our customers, manage their network energy consumption
and related carbon emissions.”
The initiative is intended to make
an important contribution for energy transition efforts and towards reducing
the impact on climate change. Since the beginning of 2021, Deutsche Telekom has
been sourcing its electricity throughout the group exclusively from renewable
energies. By 2030, other CO2 emissions are to be reduced by 90 percent compared
to 2017.
Ericsson is a strong supporter of
the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and is an active member of the
Exponential Roadmap initiative. Telecommunication infrastructure enables
innovations in many industry sectors, leading to more efficient business
processes and ultimately a low-carbon society.
Ericsson has a high focus on the
energy efficiency of its portfolio, as detailed end-to-end Life Cycle Analysis
reveals that the operational phase of the product is responsible for about 80
percent of CO2 emission of the total life cycle. A higher energy
efficiency of the radio site solutions means that local generated renewable
energy will become more feasible. Furthermore, Ericsson has set a goal to
become climate neutral by 2030 in its own activities.
Source: Telekom media announcement
