Written by Mary Lennighan for Telecoms.com
Ericsson has demonstrated a new solar and battery-powered proof-of-concept 5G site in the US that fits with its own sustainability goals as well as those of its operator customers.
And as well as powering a base station with renewable energy, and using software to help keep costs down, the site also affords operators the ability to create new revenue streams from the electricity they generate.
The new site is located in Plano, Texas. Ericsson describes its as a complete energy-smart network solution that demonstrates how energy-efficient technology and solutions can be integrated with the use of renewable energy sources. It can be fully operated by solar energy, complemented by integrated Lithium-ion batteries, for up to 24 hours, as well as featuring advanced energy-management tools.
To help telcos better manage their energy consumption it has capabilities such as load shifting, demand response, and peak shaving, the last being a method of reducing power consumption quickly for a short period to avoid a sudden spike in usage, and not actually anything to do with grooming one’s facial hair. It can also take advantage of the best electricity prices – charging the battery when rates are low – which is also good news for telcos’ energy bills.
“Mobile operators increasingly need to reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions of their base stations without sacrificing network coverage or the quality of the user experience,” said Ed Gubbins, Principal Analyst at Global Data, in a comment accompanying the Ericsson announcement.
