Vodafone Qatar + Alcatel-Lucent deploy the first "green" mobile basestation in Qatar

Vodafone Qatar and Alcatel-Lucent have announced the deployment of the first hybrid powered Base Station in Qatar, using an integration of solar and wind energy. This initiative is part of a wider green technology program led by Vodafone Group to deploy green energy sources in all of its affiliates worldwide.

This Vodafone trial site in Qatar is a significant milestone in the validation of alternative energy solutions that can be implemented elsewhere in the Vodafone Group to enable the expansion of mobile communication to areas not served by electrical grids, as well as to reduce both operating expenses and environmental impact.

The solution is provided by Alcatel-Lucent’s Alternative Energy Program. Announced in Feb 2009 to address the challenge that more than 100,000 mobile base stations shall be equipped with alternative energy solutions between 2010 and 2012, representing a yearly savings of about 7 million tons of CO 2, the program aims at providing the first truly industrial solution of wireless Base Stations powered with alternative energies, ready for large deployments. Leveraging its “Sustainable Power” services suite, Alcatel-Lucent provides consulting to help operators build a comprehensive deployment plan tailored to their specific environment, and then manages design, dimensioning, installation, transformation and integration of the entire network.

The technology, provided by Alcatel-Lucent, enables Vodafone to take advantage of the fluctuating yet complementary local weather conditions, all while reducing the ongoing costs and improving the quality of maintenance at remote or inaccessible sites.

The wind turbine at the Qatar site has been mounted at the top of the existing mast to leverage higher winds. The energy controller brings intelligent control to simultaneously draw power from both the photovoltaic panels and wind turbine, based on solar intensity and wind speed, making the most – at every second – of the two sources’ fluctuating availability. The system also carefully monitors battery charging cycles and diesel generator maintenance runs so as to maximize their lifespan. A full monitoring system enables real-time tracking of all weather and energy parameters; a key component to enabling large scale deployments.