The GSM Association, a global trade group representing mobile operators in 218 countries, on Thursday launched a program to power118,000 base stations mostly in developing countries using renewable energy sources.
Base stations are physically spaced pieces of equipment usually mounted on towers that handle cell phone calls. As wireless networks expand in developing countries, the base stations get installed farther away from electricity grids. The off-grid base stations are generally powered by diesel fuel.
But with the cost of diesel fuel rising and the green movement starting to take hold in some countries, the GSMA is attempting to speed the change from diesel to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and sustainable biofuels.
“Operators are looking for alternative energy options and they asked for our help and we’ve got people who work in the field and they have built up quite a bit of expertise in this area,” GSMA representative David Pringle said.
The goal of the program, which is called Green Power for Mobile, is to power 118,000 new and existing off-grid base stations with renewable energy by 2012.
Given the price of diesel and falling renewable equipment costs, GSMA estimates that carriers could recoup their capital costs in about 24months.
More than 25 operators have signed up for the program, including Bharti, MTN Nigeria, Telefonica, Vodafone Egypt, Orange, and Digicel.