African mobile masts go solar-powered

Telecoms company Ericsson has announced plans to install over 100 solar powered mobile phone masts in rural Africa.

The solar base stations will be used by the Orange mobile network in Guinea, and will replace base stations that currently run on diesel fuel.

No moving parts such as cooling fans will be contained in the base stations, reducing energy consumption by 50%.

In the daytime, the masts will be completely fuelled using solar power, with battery support at night.

Jan Embro, president of Ericsson for sub-Saharan Africa, said: “It is extremely exciting to be able to run sites on alternative energy sources.”

He added: “Limiting dependency on fossil fuels brings many advantages, but the greatest is the ability to offer sustainable connectivity to low-income users in remote areas across Africa.”

Orange plans to install more than 1,000 solar powered base stations across Africa by the end of this year.

The plan is part of the network’s strategy of building its customer base in rural areas.

In related news, ZTE recently unveiled a low-cost solar powered mobile phone designed for use in emerging markets such as Africa.