Alternative 4G power: Mobile operators switch their towers to solar power plants. Who, where and how is doing it?

Recently lifecell announced the testing of solar panels for independent power supply of cell towers. These energy sources can be a good alternative during periodic terrorist attacks on the energy system of Ukraine and rolling blackouts. In theory. But what happens in practice? Mind asked the "Big Three" to tell the details.

What solar power plants (SPPs) have been already operating? So far, operators have single projects. lifecell developed the idea to use solar energy to power cell towers (CTs) before the war. "After all, this type of energy has a number of advantages, such as renewability and environmental friendliness, high workability of processes along with easy operation and cost efficiency in the long term," the company says.

"Our primary mission during the war is to provide uninterrupted communication services to our subscribers, thus using alternative power sources will contribute to maintaining the operation of the equipment, even if the electrical supply network is damaged," lifecell explains.

Vodafone Ukraine has been operating a solar-powered cell tower for four years. It is located in one of the most complicated climatic regions of Ukraine – in the Carpathians, near the Goverla mountain. "There are no power distributing mains here, and communication is highly necessary – this is one of the most popular locations among tourists and athletes from many countries.  Not only is the availability of communication in this area convenient, but sometimes vital – in case of emergency, it is possible to contact the rescue services. Therefore, we decided to use it here", the company explains.

What are the preliminary results? lifecell says that solar panels with 84 square metres of total area produce up to 16 kW of energy to power a cell tower. This allows communication for more than 2,000 people in four settlements in the region. Solar panels generate a 48-volt direct current which is fed to the cell tower equipment.

Vodafone Ukraine says that the solar farm in the Goverla area has fully justified itself. However, years of operation suggest that such a solution has both benefits and nuances that directly affect the operation of the facility:

• Capacities that "green" energy sources can generate are extremely dependent on weather conditions. Cloudy weather, short daylight hours in Ukraine in winter, snow elements and contaminated surface of solar panels reduce the capacity of the power plant, which must be compensated for by additional sources.
• In theory, such facilities should be fully technologically self-sufficient and do not require technical staff and maintenance. However, this is not fully true. In practice, it is necessary to clean panels from snow and dust to increase the efficiency of the solar park; and acts of vandalism and theft of equipment are possible as well. This year there is also a risk of damage to expensive equipment as a result of hostilities. All this leads to the conclusion that direct supervision and involvement of personnel is required.

Cost and approximate payback of SPPs. Now vendors offer one 20 kW turn-key ready solar network station for $13,000 – 15,000. "The cost depends on the type and required capacity. The estimated payback period is up to 5 years," explains Vitaliy Gubenko from Kyivstar.

What is the current situation with the supply of solar panels? lifecell says that since the beginning of the war, all the logistics have been quite complicated. But there are ways to deliver solar panels, the only issue is the price and delivery time.

Kyivstar specifies: currently, suppliers offer services for the deployment of solar farms. "We think everything will depend on the volume. It is unlikely that there will be a lot of equipment in warehouses in Ukraine. Storage in Ukraine is an additional risk in wartime conditions. The delivery time can be quite long, as military cargoes have priority. And deliveries will need to be arranged through Europe," Gubenko explains.

So what's next: do operators consider switching most CTs to solar energy? lifecell says that if the pilot project shows successful results, the operator will scale up the use of solar panels for backup power supply of cell towers. "This will be an  eco-friendly  alternative to diesel generators at the facilities. We consider it primarily in those locations where access to stationary power is complicated, or where there is a need for backup sources," the company says.

However, the "red" mobile carrier does not reject further expansion: "SPP can be an alternative for power supply of CTs in hard-to-reach areas, or where connection to existing power grids is an issue. To ensure uninterrupted power supply to a cell tower, it will be most effective to consider the use of SPP combined with other sources of electricity."

Kyivstar has been still evaluating and recalculating the business case. "It is important to take into account that there is a problem of vandalism and theft as well, which whittles away all the efforts of the mobile provider," Gubenko says.