Vodafone Qatar, in partnership with Alcatel-Lucent, has launched the first "green" hybrid mobile base station here.

This green technology initiative, which makes use of both solar and wind energy, is intended to increase the availability and quality of mobile services to customers, while reducing the impact on the environment.

The trial site is a significant milestone in the validation of alternative energy solutions that can be implemented elsewhere in the Vodafone Group to enable the expansion of mobile communication to areas not served by electrical grids, and reduce both operating expenses and environmental impact.

This first hybrid powered mobile Base Station in Qatar is located in the border of Saudi Arabia. Grahame Maher, Vodafone Qatar CEO, said the programme is not only about cost efficiency. "These solutions can improve the quality that we provide... so it is not only about reducing cost; it is also about providing a more available, more reliable, and more quality network."

Maher said the programme of both companies is part of a wider green technology initiative to reduce the carbon footprint in the telecommunications industry and deploy green energy sources in all of its affiliates worldwide.

Jenny Howe, CTO of Vodafone Qatar, said their partnership with Alcatel-Lucent has "enabled a significant first step toward commercialising the technologies we need to reduce our carbon footprint and make a world of difference for people in Qatar."

The solution is provided by Alcatel-Lucent's Alternative Energy Programme.

Announced in February 2009 to address the challenge that more than 100,000 mobile base stations shall be equipped with alternative energy solutions between 2010 and 2012, representing a yearly savings of about 7 million tonnes of CO2, the programme aims at providing the first industrial solution of wireless Base Stations powered with alternative energies, ready for large deployments.

Leveraging its "Sustainable Power" services suite, Alcatel-Lucent provides consulting to help operators build a comprehensive deployment plan tailored to their specific environment, and then manages design, dimensioning, installation, transformation and integration of the entire network.

"Alcatel-Lucent is absolutely convinced that business has a critical role to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. And for us this means both reducing the CO2 emissions from our own operations and providing energy efficient solutions to our customers," said Marc Kassis, Head of Alcatel-Lucent business in Qatar.

The technology, provided by Alcatel-Lucent, enables Vodafone to take advantage of the fluctuating yet complementary local weather conditions, all while reducing the ongoing costs and improving the quality of maintenance at remote or inaccessible sites.

The wind turbine at the Qatar site has been mounted at the top of the existing mast to leverage higher winds at 50 metres height.

The energy controller brings intelligent control to simultaneously draw power from both the photovoltaic panels and wind turbine, based on solar intensity and wind speed, making the most - at every second - of the two sources' fluctuating availability. The system also carefully monitors battery charging cycles and diesel generator maintenance runs so as to maximise their lifespan. A full monitoring system enables real-time tracking of all weather and energy parameters; a key component to enabling large scale deployments.

 source:zawya