Abstract
Cellular network operators are always seeking to increase the area of coverage of their networks, open up new markets and provide services to potential customers in remote rural areas. However, increased energy consumption, operator energy cost and the potential environmental impact of increased greenhouse gas emissions and the exhaustion of non-renewable energy resources (fossil fuel) pose major challenges to cellular network operators. The specific power supply needs for rural base stations (BSs) such as cost-effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and reliability can be satisfied by taking advantage of the technological advances in renewable energy. This study investigates the possibility of decreasing both operational expenditure (OPEX) and greenhouse gas emissions with guaranteed sustainability and reliability for rural BSs using a solar photovoltaic/diesel generator hybrid power system. Three key aspects have been investigated: (i) energy yield, (ii) economic factors and (iii) greenhouse gas emissions. The results showed major benefits for mobile operators in terms of both environmental conservation and OPEX reduction, with an average annual OPEX savings of 43% to 47% based on the characteristics of solar radiation exposure in Malaysia. Finally, the paper compares the feasibility of using the proposed approach in a four-season country and compares the results against results obtained in Malaysia, which is a country with a tropical climate.
Highlights
The unexpected increase in subscribers and demand for high-speed data has led to tremendous growth in cellular networks in the last several years
The present study suggests the hybridisation of the solar power system with existing backup diesel generator (DG) in rural areas, which will provide base stations (BSs) with a sustainable and reliable power supply, especially if the battery lifespan is short
9 Results and discussion Different average daily solar radiation values of 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 and 5.5 kWh/m2 are used to simulate the application of solar energy across a wide range of Malaysian states
Summary
The unexpected increase in subscribers and demand for high-speed data has led to tremendous growth in cellular networks in the last several years. Tropical countries experience heavy rain and cloudiness that may continue for several days, causing battery banks to run out of charge more quickly To solve this problem, the present study suggests the hybridisation of the solar power system with existing backup DG in rural areas, which will provide BSs with a sustainable and reliable power supply, especially if the battery lifespan is short. 5.2 Hybrid energy source subsystem The main components of a hybrid energy source subsystem are listed below: 5.1 Base station subsystem The BS, a centrally located set of equipment used to communicate with mobile units and the backhaul network, consists of multiple transceivers (TRXs), which in turn consist of a power amplifier (PA) that amplifies the input power, a radio-frequency (RF) small-signal transceiver section, a baseband (BB) for system processing and coding, a DC-DC power supply, a cooling system and an alternating current (AC)-DC unit for connection to the electrical power grid. All power sources working in parallel are managed by a sophisticated control system and share the load with their capabilities to accommodate the fact that power shortages are not admissible in the cellular telephony sector
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