BTS with solar energy

Difficult to get a supply of electricity for the operation of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) in remote areas Mr. Iwan Chaerul to develop alternative energy use for the base stations in addition to electricity. BTS with alternative energy sources solar light energy is obtained with the use of solar panels on Senayang Island, Kepulauan Riau - Indonesia. Operation of the 132 base stations with solar panels most of Asia.

The use of solar panels as alternative energy sources is an attempt to ensure the availability of power supply required for operation of the BTS. Especially for remote areas where the availability of electricity is still very minimal. Moreover, parts of Indonesia is an archipelago with geographic variations different, "said Iwan Chaerul in his press conference in Jakarta, Thursday (18/2/2010).

Iwan explained the use of solar panels as an energy source BTS is very possible and suitable to be applied to the construction of base stations in areas with poor electricity supply. Claimed solar panels capable of supplying electrical energy for 0, 115 megawatts as found in conventional base stations to the source of electrical energy or diesel-fueled generators. "Almost 100 equivalent to a conventional generator set 20 kVA," he said.

Source of solar energy with solar panels, says Iwan, base stations capable of supplying energy to three days. This is included with the purposes of charging a spare battery operated at night when no sunlight.

"Solar panel that we use 140 square meters wide. It's able to meet the electricity needs of the BTS to three days. Longer than any other solar panel that only lasted 24 hours," he said.
Costs for operation and maintenance of this solar-paneled BTS also, says Iwan, far cheaper than the base stations that use generators. The operator simply spending more for the procurement of solar panels and the rather broad area in the early development of BTS. "Later in the operation we do not need anything other than maintenance costs," he said.

In the meantime, he said, the use of solar panels is more appropriate to base stations in remote areas. While in the big city, is relatively less suitable because of land costs far more expensive since solar panels require a broader area.

Regarding investment issued for the construction of 132 base stations are solar-paneled, Iwan said the total cost required sekitae Rp. 60 to Rp. 100 billion. "In the future we plan to have 39 solar panels more base stations," he said.