Our partner, velcom mobile operator, has built the first base station in Belarus for solar energy. The unique tower has earned without external sources of electricity in the Lubansky district of the Minsk region.
The base station was built next to the construction site of the Nezhinsky ore mining and processing enterprise. The lack of electrical networks, which usually feed the mobile communications tower, were compensated by the energy of the sun. High-tech equipment operates from a hybrid power plant that includes solar panels, industrial batteries and a diesel generator.
Near the communication mast, 54 solar panels with a total area of 77 square meters are fixed, which are connected to the control cabinet of the power supply system. Solar panels generate a constant current of 216 volts, which is converted to 54 volts and fed to the equipment of the base station. The mini-station can produce up to 14 kilowatts of electricity in total. For comparison, the electrical power of apartment buildings ranges from 3.5 to 5 kilowatts.
Also, solar energy is used to charge lithium-ion batteries. Batteries are designed for long life and are not afraid of temperature changes. Thanks to them, the communication mast will work at night and cloudy weather. Without recharging, they can power the base station for eight hours. In winter, with a deficit of sunlight, the modern diesel-electric power station will automatically switch on, which complies with all environmental standards. In the rest of the year, the mobile tower will be able to manage exclusively renewable energy from solar panels. Technologically, the base station supports GSM and 3G standards, including UMTS-900. It is designed to provide high-speed Internet and HD quality calls both to residents of nearby villages and builders of the future potash plant.
The mini-station will work autonomously - for most processes the computer is responsible. The perimeter of the station will be "monitored" by CCTV cameras and traffic sensors, and when an attempt is made to penetrate, an alarm will sound.
"The construction of a base station on solar panels is a new experience for the republic, which opens great prospects. First of all, we contribute to the lower consumption of hydrocarbon resources and the transition to renewable energy sources, and we will also be able to come with mobile communication even to regions with remote locations of power lines. If the experience of the test object is successful, it will be scaled and applied more widely, "said Vyacheslav Smirnov, the head of the corporate communications department of velcom.
The original information is available on the site of velcom.by