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The operator says around 70% of the site’s energy needs are expected to be generate by on-site wind turbines and solar panels
Today, BT has announced the activation of a new mobile site powered by on-site renewable energy generation.
The 4G/5G site, located in the Shropshire Hills, is supported by a bank of solar panels and a miniaturised wind turbine, which combine to provide up to 70% of the site’s power. Energy generated from these renewable sources is stored in the on-site batteries, which then release it as needed.
In total, BT expects the site to generate 17,000kWh of energy per year, delivering a cost saving of over £10,000.
Back-up power to the mast is provided by a Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) generator, which powers the site if the stored energy is fully depleted.
“Delivering ubiquitous coverage is critically important in an age where connectivity has never been so central to everyday life, but it absolutely must be done in a responsible and sustainable manner. It’s paramount that we increase the energy-efficiency of our networks, and so we’re really excited about the potential of self-powering sites in enabling us to meet both our sustainability and connectivity ambitions,” said Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer and BT Group.
BT says it has already identified ‘hundreds’ of additional locations that are suitable for the deployment of on-site renewable energy generation.
This concept of powering mobile sites using locally generated renewable power is not new. Indeed, Vodafone UK began a similar initiative in 2021, with the first deployments taking place in 2022. The trial, which took place at Home Farm in the village of Eglwyswrw, Wales, was expected to take two years and so should now be complete, but no results have yet been published.
Perhaps one of the most exciting elements of on-site power generation for mobile sites – beyond the obvious reductions to energy bills and carbon emissions – is its potential to allow for deployment in remote areas without being connected to the national grid. This would reduce a significant pain point for rural mobile deployments, potentially making it viable to deploy sites in some of the remotest areas of the country.
On the other hand, deploying wind turbines and solar panels come with their own challenges, such as requiring additional permissions from landowners and maintenance obligations. Couple this with the fact that only a small number of locations around the country (typically hills and coastal locations) are suitable for this type of deployment, and it seems unlikely that these self-sufficient sites will become a major feature of the operators’ rollout plans.
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