Mobile Operators Take Green Route

[george]

Mobile operators take green route

BANGKOK: -- As environmental concerns rise across the world, major mobile operators in Thailand are racing to reduce their energy consumption and shifting focus to energy-saving networks.

In their bid to develop environment-friendly networks, many are opting for solar-powered base stations. Total Access Communication (DTAC) said it planned to build 15 more solar-powered base stations this year, which will take the number of the energy-saving base stations the company has to 20.

Advanced Info Services (AIS) said it will build four more base stations installed with solar cells to power communication devices. AIS has 11 solar-powered base stations.

Solar base stations were first set up in the country by DTAC in 2004 and aimed at facilitating services by cellular network operators in remote areas. DTAC chief technological officer Rolf Marthinusen said the concept of solar-powered base stations was adopted to make cellular networks more environment-friendly as concerns over increasing greenhouse gas emissions rose.

"The technology is now being promoted to heal the world," he said.

Marthinusen said though most areas where the base stations are to be built this year are in remote parts that still lack electricity, DTAC is also considering installing solar base stations in urban areas.

One solar base station means Bt2.5 million in construction costs while annual maintenance can go up to Bt200,000. An electric-powered station needs only Bt250,000 for construction. However, the solar station will result in savings of up to Bt12,000, as operators will save on electricity costs.

"It's possible for mobile operators to roll out environment-friendly cell sites on a large scale in the future when technology develops and economies of scale bring about significant cost reductions," Marthinusen said.

While DTAC is focusing on more solar base stations, AIS has moved to other kinds of energy-saving technology including wind and biodiesel energy.

"AIS is interested in the study of integrating the use of clean energy or substitute energy and the decrease of unnecessary energy consumption. We are gearing up for the global warming reduction campaign," AIS president Wichian Mektrakarn said.

AIS said it will install appropriate energy-saving applications to suit each area. It said solar technology did not seem appropriate for urban areas as the sunlight "is not strong enough to power a base station".

The company benefited from wind energy after horizontal air turbines were installed at a base station in Samut Songkram. A few mobile-switching centres of the company also have "insulated walls" to minimise the use of air-conditioning.

Last year, the Development Fund of GSMA, an operator-led trade association representing the global mobile industry that uses the GSM system, had joined hands with Mobile Telecommunications Limited of Namibia and Motorola to commission a trial site for a wind- and solar-powered solution to support the operator's remote GSM cell sites. The 90-day trial showed that by opting for wind and solar energy, a base station could supply 200 kilowatt per hour of power per week.

-- The Nation 2008-04-01

[Martin]

"...The 90-day trial showed that by opting for wind and solar energy, a base station could supply 200 kilowatt per hour of power per week. "

Typical technological illiteracy of the liberal-arts graduate.

Nowadays all 16-year-old students have learnt enough Science and Technology to know that that should read "200 kilowatt-hour of energy per week".

They would spot that '...200 kilowatt per hour...' is a nonsense phrase, and the confusion in the writer's mind between power and energy.

However, those who go on to do five or more years of studies bereft of considerations of anything except 'The Humanities' forget that bit of knowledge about reality that they had started to acquire.

As there are 168 hours in a week, this translates back to an average continuous power of 1.2kW, which is likely to be enough for a small cell station, especially if it has no need for air conditioning.

[naka]

These reports often result in more questions than answers !

One solar base station means Bt2.5 million in construction costs while annual maintenance can go up to Bt200,000. An electric-powered station needs only Bt250,000 for construction. However, the solar station will result in savings of up to Bt12,000, as operators will save on electricity costs.

So they will save up to Bt 12,000 on electricity costs ... a day ... a month ... a year

Naka.