Portugal - Vodafone Portugal uses wind power on its base stations

Vodafone has begun generating electricity for its mobile communications network with the installation of a wind microgenerating system in the Serra do Socorro near Mafra.

The introduction of this wind micro-generating system, added to other energy efficiency programmes started two years ago, is enabling the company to achieve reductions of 15-20% in total electricity consumption and CO2 emissions by its base stations.

The system is being implemented at 32 of Vodafone's telecommunications base stations around Portugal.

The central element of the system is a 3.5KW wind turbine installed on the telecommunications mast which, drawing on wind energy, supplies part of the electricity needed for the normal functioning of the equipment, including the air conditioning of the equipment housing. Such air conditioning when supplied from traditional resources, as it has been to date, is one of the main causes of the high electricity consumption and CO2 emissions by base stations.

By way of comparison, provided the necessary storage solutions existed, the quantity of electricity generated by a 3.5 kW turbine would be enough to supply the normal usage of a rural household of 4 people.

For more information, please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net