Energy for Off-grid Radio Stations

Off-grid radio stations

Case Studies

UK  

Backup power for an off-grid radio transmission and BTS site in Wales

• IdaTech ElectraGen™ 5 System and ElectraGen™ XTR module for an extended run solution
• 5 kW integrated fuel cell system was installed to work in combination with a 2.5 kW solar panel array and a 2.5 kW wind turbine for a truly hybrid solution. A 1000 AH battery bank stores the energy generated by the fuel cell, solar array and turbine, and powers telecommunications equipment located on the site. The outdoor installation incorporates the three renewable energy systems and an integrated stainless steel methanol storage tank.
• was selected to reliably recharge the battery string when sun or wind power is not available, to ensure continuous power for the site power requirements through an environmentally-friendly energy combination

www.idatech.com/uploadDocs/491023_OUKW_CS.PDF

 

USA

New Solar Generator Powers Worlds First Totally Off-The-Grid Radio Station

• unique system allows to harvest solar energy from four high-efficiency solar panels located on the roof
• panels direct power to the solar generator, which is located in the studio below. The discreet design of the generator ensures that it blends seamlessly with the radio stations dcor. Using the Power Hub Plus from Solutions From Science, it is possible to power mixing boards, satellite dishes, transmitters, microphones

http://www.premiumpresse.de/new-solar-generator-powers-worlds-first-totally-off-the-grid-radio-station-PR938191.html

 

Outlaw Radio: Off the grid Broadcasting

• Off grid solar & wind electric systems are commonly used when there is a need for power and current utility lines are located an inaccessible distance away. This situation can arise for a home or broadcast facility being built in a remote or semi-remote location
• example: 12 V battery, 400 W inverter

 http://www.outlawradio.us/Off-The-Grid.html

 

Africa

Rural Africa to obtain sustainable and affordable connectivity

• Orange Guinea Conakry and Ericsson: looking to deploying over a hundred base stations that will all be powered by harnessing solar radiation -> focus on telecommunication
• energy efficient Ericsson base stations will feature a hybrid diesel-battery solution and solar panels. Orange hopes that this will help them increase cell phone coverage in both rural and urban areas, and aims to accomplish this while remaining on track to reduce CO2 emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020.
• Ericsson BTS 2111 radio base station is a main-remote solution without any active moving parts such as cooling fans. It reduces energy consumption up to 50 percent, allowing the site to be fully powered by solar energy, supported by a battery bank for 24/7 operation

http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20090218/rural-africa-to-obtain-sustainable-and-affordable-connectivity/

 

Partially grid connected radio stations

Case studies

USA

KTAO – The Solar Powered Radio Station

• KTAO, the largest solar electricity based radio station in the USA, located north of Taos in New Mexico
• 50,000 watt transmitter powered by an array of 135 solar panels
• use of a solar powered radio transmitter allowed the radio station to increase its reach from a 20 mile radius to a 40 – 50 mile radius

http://greenpassivesolar.com/2011/04/ktao-solar-powered-radio-station-taos/