Motorola, the GSMA's Development Fund and MTC Namibia chose to run the Dordabis trial during the winter months, when both wind and solar energy would be at their lowest availability. Since May 2007, a solar array and a wind turbine have jointly been generating the electrical power needed to drive a mid-sized cell and support a microwave backhaul installation.
"Operators are investing heavily in developing their infrastructure in the African continent and other developing regions, but achieving wide coverage can be a significant challenge when base stations are located in remote areas. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar make it not only possible but also cost-effective for network operators to deliver mobile voice and data services in remote rural areas where mains electricity is either not available at all or prohibitively expensive. The successful conclusion of the trial with Motorola and MTC Namibia is exciting because it demonstrates to operators that they can break through one of the key barriers to expanding coverage," said Dawn Haig-Thomas, director of the GSMA Development Fund.
Based on the successful trials conducted in Namibia and previously in the UK, which have generated interest from the operator community, Motorola renewable energy solutions are now commercially available.
"The MTC Namibia GSM trial reinforces Motorola's commitment to delivering solutions that are tailored to African operators' needs. We are pleased to work with MTC Namibia and the GSM Association and demonstrate how a combination of wind and solar power can be as effective as mains power in keeping cellular base stations running at peak performance. In addition, the Motorola GSM solutions used needed minimal maintenance, which helped to reduce the cost and complexity of remote-area maintenance for operators. We look forward to continue supporting the growth of operators such as MTC Namibia, through delivering practical and commercially viable solutions," said Ali Amer, vice president sales, Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, Motorola Home & Networks Mobility.
Though the MTC Namibia trial was delivered on a GSM network, the Motorola solutions can be applied to other wireless networks that have rural cell site power issues. This trial, which was announced at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona in February 2007 and deployed in May 2007, has been named as a finalist in the British Computer Society's awards for the best use of green technology.
Motorola's renewable energy solutions for powering wireless network cell sites are part of the company's Reach GSM portfolio. For more information see www.motorola.com/reach/windandsolartrial
