TowerPower

  • Home
  • Solution
  • Technology
  • Consulting
    • Consulting Team
  • Impact
  • Team
  • Contact
  • Investor relations
  • Blog
  • Home
  • Solution
  • Technology
  • Consulting
    • Consulting Team
  • Impact
  • Team
  • Contact
  • Investor relations
  • Blog

Delivering affordable, reliable and clean energy across Sub-Saharan Africa

1/22/2020

2 Comments

 
​The African power market is critically underdeveloped. Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) has the lowest electrification rates in the world with only about 40% of the population having access to grid electricity, leaving over 600 million people without access. In addition, in many places where there is access to grid electricity infrastructure, the supply is highly unreliable with frequent outages.

Mission Critical Sites (MCS), hospitals, health clinics and telco towers, are still heavily reliant on diesel generated power which is expensive, unreliable and polluting. Most cell phone towers (approximately 240,000) are either off-grid or have bad grid connections. 66% of hospitals do not have reliable electricity access. 80% of schools have no electricity at all.

70% of the population of SSA have mobile phone coverage, meaning more than 300 million people (the vast majority of whom live in remote rural locations) are still without coverage. The GSMA predicts that an additional 85,000 towers will need to be built by 2020 to extend coverage to these areas.

Mobile operators face huge challenges to power their existing networks, both off-grid and on-grid. Diesel accounts for up to 40% of OPEX (the total amount of fossil fuels consumed by towers is estimated at 58 million barrels per year at a cost of $8 billion USD) and on top of this there is the cost of frequent generator maintenance, and replacement every 2 years. The very high cost of energy means a higher cost of mobile service for subscribers, and so this directly affects affordability of vital mobile phone service for many of the poorest people in the world.

Our main social impact objectives are access to energy, access to clean water, access to education, and access to information. Our environmental impact objectives are natural resource conservation, and pollution prevention (GHG emissions). We aim to generate measurable financial, environmental and social returns beyond comparable industry standards. Our sustainable energy metrics are: reducing CO2 output per installation by a least 60% per site per year; reducing diesel usage by at least 75% per site per year. Our social benefit metrics are: at least 50% of our labor force will be from local villages; employees will be provided with living-wages, health benefits, education programs and company training; schools and hospitals connected to our microgrids will be provided with free internet access.

Tower Power is an independent power provider that equips cell phone towers with renewable energy generation, storage and software intelligence to significantly reduce costs and CO2 emissions. Wherever possible, we will use the tower power to create a microgrid to provide electricity to neighbouring hospitals/ health clinics, schools and villages.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT VOLKMAR KUNERTH at KUNERTH@TOWERPOWER.CO
2 Comments

How to cut diesel dependency and emissions and make money at the same time

1/22/2020

4 Comments

 

​Mission critical sites, hospitals, health clinics, and telecom towers in this region are currently heavily reliant on diesel generated power that is expensive, unreliable, and polluting. Most telecom towers are either off-grid or have poor grid connection. 

The demand for mobile services is constantly increasing in the developing world of SSA, especially the demand for data services (4G/LTE). This increased demand for more towers translates to increased demand for energy. Although densely populated areas normally have few issues using grid power, rural and remote areas face significant problems when there is poor or no grid power. 

Mobile operators face huge challenges to power their existing networks and future towers. The average OPEX for a site for grid power can range between $150 to $300 per month while the average OPEX for diesel can range between $1200 to $3000 per month. Because of the high cost of diesel fuel, towers without access to grid power face soaring OPEX with 60% due to fuel expenditures. The high cost of energy directly translates to a higher cost of mobile service for subscribers. This decrease in affordability of crucial mobile phone service significantly impacts people who live in some of the poorest regions in the world. 

The solution is cost effective, efficient and brings huge returns for investors of properly implemented.

Equiping telecom towers with a hybrid energy solution consisting of renewable energy generation, and storage and software intelligence significantly reduces energy costs and pollutants. Wherever possible, this technology is able create a microgrid to provide electricity to neighboring hospitals, schools, and villages. Rather than completely replace the telecom tower, an upgrade of the current infrastructure based on each tower’s needs can be made. Combining both hardware and software to provides a unique solution to customers.



The hybrid comprises of photovoltaic cells and batteries as the main components, and includes security equipment and the site’s original diesel genset as well. The solution is based on each tower’s individual needs and requirements. 

A solar photovoltaic system directly supplies power to the site and excess energy generated is stored in batteries. Once the batteries are fully charged, the site is powered by discharging the batteries. The diesel genset is only used in cases where renewable energy is not supplying enough power (such as during night time) or in emergency/maintenance situations. During these times, energy stored in the batteries is used to power the site. Once the batteries have discharged, the diesel genset is turned on to power the site and charge the batteries simultaneously. 

The system is controlled in which the solar photovoltaic system and batteries can fully operate in parallel while the power from the solar photovoltaic system is given highest priority in usage. Overall the system reduces fuel consumption, extends battery life, reduces generator maintenance, and reduces emissions.

For more information contact Volkmar Kunerth at kunerth@towerpower.co

4 Comments

    Volkmar Kunerth

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    January 2020
    December 2019

    Categories

    All
    Solar

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.