Renewable energy sources - application of hybrid systems in telecommunications

Abstract

Renewable energy sources (RES) have potential to be used at greater extent in telecommunications for supplying base stations with electricity. Use of the hybrid systems can help mobile operators to achieve their strategic goals and reduce CO2 emissions. Hybrid systems efficiently combine RES to fulfil demand for the electricity and higher energy efficiency, together with cost reduction. The need for installing off-grid hybrid systems in the Republic of Serbia is relatively small due to the fact that the geographical coverage of the power system is at a very high level. Grid connected hybrid systems can return the surplus of the generated energy into the electricity system. Existing prices for the purchase of surplus energy from the RES, as well as the expected increase in the price of electricity obtained from power grid, combined with decrease in the price of the kWh generated from the RES, give opportunity for switching base stations to a hybrid source of electricity. The paper presents the results of simulation of the hybrid systems operation for potential base station, and application of the micro hydropower plant in such a system. The conducted analyses, given in this paper, point to certain conclusions and recommendations on the implementation of modern hybrid systems.