Shalin Sheth, Founder and Managing Director, Advait Infratech Limited

Curr­en­tly, India is the world’s second-biggest telecom market and the largest consumer of data. Its telecom sector provides access to voice and data services at the lowest prices to 1.16 billion people. However, it is also true that the sector has experienced exceptional growth at the price of the environment due to its heavy reliance on diesel to fuel towers. But, the integration of te­le­com technology with electrical grids gives the telecom sector a robust solution capable of pushing green power and sm­art power growth in India.

Robust telecommunication solutions

The emergence of energy-saving systems has made telecom service providers and equipment manufacturers use their skill set to improve the way power is transmitted, gather real-time information from consumers and grids, and support utilities in running more effectively and economically. There are many new prospects emerging for tower companies, towards new business models based on fibre, small cells, data centres, etc. Tower companies will push power growth in India in the following ways:

  • Owing to their extensive experience in handling energy assets, tower companies can monetise existing assets and provide power and power management as a service. They can provide primary and ba­ck­up power as well.
  • Robust telecom solutions such as location-based technologies will help ma­nage mobility, optimise the workforce and increase connectivity with remote pipeline workers.
  • Tower companies are implementing eff­e­c­tive storage solutions such as Li-ion ba­tteries, advanced valve-regulated lead acid batteries, flow batteries and thermal energy-based solutions, and scaling up solar installations across the network to reduce the use of diesel at sites with irregular and unpredictable power supplies.
  • Measuring consumption in greater detail using smart meters will allow utilities to use data for monitoring and billing purposes and also provide consumers an in­ce­ntive to monitor their energy usage pe­riodically. This data is transmitted ov­er the current telecom network which eliminates the need to create a communication network from the ground up and lowers the initial cost.
  • Machine-to-machine platforms-based mobile tracking and positioning solutions such as cell ID, GPS and radio beacon will assist utilities in decreasing theft, improve asset management and prevent pilferage. This, in turn, will reduce do­w­n­time and maximise asset use.
  • Modernising transmission and distribution grids into smart grids will fulfil modern energy needs. A smart grid establishes a safe, efficient and reliable energy sy­stem by adopting dependable end-to-end communications technologies. Sen­so­rs on the installed grids convey information about issues, grid performance statistics, status updates, etc. It will help to optimise costs, reduce out­ages and prepare power suppliers for future disruption and storage issues. Utility companies may enhan­ce custo­mer relationships and operational efficiency while improving power delivery, power quality and operational effici­ency using a smart grid. All of it will be achieved with the help of infrastructure pro­vided by telecom companies and bro­adband capabilities. Considering that the telecom sector would require about 26 billion units of electricity, it will be crucial to switch to greener power consumption techniques. To this end, telecom and tower companies are pushing green power growth through various tactics such as:
  • Adopting several demand management-related steps to lower energy use. Me­a­su­res to reduce diesel use include sharing passive infrastructure, replacing outdated base transceiver stations (BTSs) with newer, more energy efficient ones, using outdoor BTSs with improved ambient air circulation easing heat dissipation, and designing shelters with free cooling units and green shelters.
  • Reducing the need for fuel and increasing the efficiency of backup power by utilising diesel generators (DGs) and appropriately sizing DG sets.
  • Utilising renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic, wind power, fuel cells and biofuels. Hybrid DG systems us­ing solar and wind power are also in use. Solar radiation and wind are most of the time inconsistent, so they are of­ten combined with other power sources such as utility grid and DGs to ensure continuous supply of power.

Conclusion

The widespread wireless network in India is unparalleled in terms of its reach and influence. Therefore, it must always be co­mpletely functional because any unplann­ed power outage in these networks could result in loss of data, sales and production hours. Indian tower companies are in a good position to increase their infra­stru­cture portfolio as the government plans to develop several smart city projects where internet of things will have a crucial role to play. Thus, there is wide scope for the sector to support the digital imperative and incentivise power growth in India.