NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced that it launched Japan's first demonstration experiment*1 of a self-powered hydropower cellular base station on May 30. The experiment, which involves DOCOMO's hydroelectric power-generation system and a jet turbine developed by Professor Yukihiro Shimatani of the Prefectural University of Kumamoto, aims to prove the feasibility of a self-powered base station using water flowing in an irrigation canal, etc., as a sustainable, low-cost solution for mobile communication networks in rural areas.
Based on the results of this experiment, DOCOMO hopes to introduce a hydropower system for the sustainable operation of self-powered base stations in mobile communications networks by March 2025.
The jet turbine incorporates a nozzle that emits a stream of water, or "jet," to drive the turbine's rotation in the opposite direction and thereby generate electricity. While conventional hydroelectric systems use a separate nozzle and turbine, this device combines both components in a design so simple it can be manufactured with a 3D printer.
