Ethiopian communications network powered by renewable energy solutions

In growth markets like Ethiopia, where the network is expanding into rural areas, a power grid is not always readily available and equipment sites need to run autonomously. A sustainable alternative to diesel generators is to use renewable energy sources such as solar power. In order to build solar-powered autonomous sites, ETC turned to Nokia Siemens Networks for consulting, planning and project management.

“Our vision is to provide telecommunication services to the whole nation.”

Ato Amare Amsalu ,
Chief Executive Officer,
Ethiopia Telecommunications Corporation (ETC)

The mission of the Ethiopia Telecommunications Corporation (ETC) is to develop and maintain a modern information and communications network infrastructure for Ethiopia that is capable of supporting voice, data and video services equitably across the country while allowing high-capacity digital connectivity to the rest of the world.

 

“The project’s key challenges were electrical power and road access. There are places in Ethiopia where neither road access nor commercial electric power exists.”

Ato Amare Amsalu,
Chief Executive Officer,
Ethiopia Telecommunications Corporation (ETC)

 

 

Complete turnkey solution

The GSM and GPRS mobile networks with fiber optic backbone supplied by Nokia Siemens Networks required approximately 300 sites in the northern and central parts of the country. Half of these sites are located in hard-to-access rural areas which have no electrical supply.

Because Ethiopia is situated close to the equator, in one of the sunniest parts of the world, solar power solutions based on photovoltaic cells converting sunlight into energy have been chosen to power the base station sites as well as the transmission node sites for the fiber optic backbone network. Nokia Siemens Networks planned and built more than 50 solar-powered autonomous sites which include battery banks that assure power for at least three days in case of cloudy or rainy weather.

In order to minimize the total cost of ownership (TCO), autonomous sites powered by renewable energy are most appropriate. Although the initial cost of solar panels is higher than the cost of a diesel generator, this is offset by the low operational expenses (OPEX). While the OPEX of a diesel generator are driven by the fuel price as well as the many site visits required for refueling and repair, solar panels require nothing but occasional cleaning to operate for many years without a single failure.

“There are two reasons for using solar power: one is economical, the other is environmental. Using the diesel generator after project installation would have been very expensive, especially the maintenance and handling costs. Although the initial cost of solar power is rather high, in the long term its use is very inexpensive and rewarding. The energy solutions we’ve received from Nokia Siemens Networks are highly efficient. For example, if the sun does not shine we can use the battery backup system, which ensures continuous operation for three or four days. After installing the solar-power system, the only thing we’ve had to do is keep the panels clean. Other than that, they will not cost us a thing and will serve us for many years to come,” says Ato Amare Amsalu.

Autonomous site renewable power solutions from Nokia Siemens Networks:

  • Stand-alone solar power solutions (solar panel array, battery and solar system controller) are most feasible in locations which have a high year-round availability of solar resource (locations closer to the equator)

  • Solar/wind hybrid power solutions (solar panel array, battery, wind turbines and controllers) are more feasible in locations where available renewable resources nicely complement each other (windy winters and sunny summers)

 

 

Nokia Siemens Networks and renewable energy

Particularly in new growth markets, where mobile networks are expanding into rural areas, advanced infrastructure such as a power system is not always reliable or readily available, and base station sites need to run autonomously. A sustainable alternative is to use renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power. Through its affiliated companies, Nokia Siemens Networks has been working on alternative energy sources since 1981. Since then, we have planned, dimensioned and installed autonomous site solutions in approximately 30 countries.

 

 

 

The benefits of autonomous site solutions, which combine highly-efficient base-station technology with the best in renewable energy sources, are:

  • Mature technology

  • Relatively easy and inexpensive to install

  • Payback in 2-4 years

  • Long lifetime

  • Minimal maintenance costs

  • Low total cost of ownership

 

 

A partnership that pays off

Nokia Siemens Networks’ success in Ethiopia is based on a dedicated work force of nearly 40 qualified professionals including project management, technical experts and support staff who help the company offer value-added professional services to its customers.

With this strong local presence, we have proven to be a reliable partner with strong technical expertise and roll-out capabilities.

“Everybody is satisfied with the overall performance of the Nokia Siemens Networks project management. The roll-out was completed within the specified contractual period. We haven’t experienced any problems on the sites built by Nokia Siemens Networks. They are all working properly and we assume they will continue to do so in the future,” Ato Amare Amsalu says.

“What we expect is that the supplier should see us as a partner. If we view one another as partners, we can work together for a long period of time. Nokia Siemens Networks has also been consulting us as a partner. And, in this way, we are using solar energy everywhere in the countryside. Using Nokia Siemens Networks, we have been able to complete a lot of mobile projects, such as the installation of a one million subscriber mobile network in Addis. We now have the capacity to serve the rural communities and small cities, and it is working properly.”