Energy efficiency in telecom infrastructure has become a topic of interest and can turn into a role model in the Indian subcontinent by making some standards and norms for passive infra peripheral, which are to be followed by timely implementation as value added services to avail carbon credits in future. Study on power losses and its improper utilization will help the infra provider and service provider plug their hidden losses in terms of revenue and savings.

Energy consumption under full load, half load and idle condition with maximum throughput will definitely give an edge to O&M team to decide about Time Based Utilization (TBU) of the BTS and other add-on equipment.

Need for power management

Power Management in Time Based Model will be an area where all players will try to focus in coming years. To remain in competitive market, all telecom companies are in need of proper power management on cell sites and trying to keep their opex down. To maintain uptime of BTS and with increasing manpower cost, decline in air time charges, things are getting difficult like never before. Infra companies should now invest in Smart Grid solutions. This could provide a moderate ROI and long term revenue system to the tower owners.

Increasing use of alternate sources of energy

Saying no to diesel will stop emitting 2.5 kg of CO₂ and will also make a pollution free environment. In addition to this, power currently accounts very high in pie of the total telecom opex. Practical experience in the field has proven that DGs are operational for roughly eight hours in rural, and three hours in urban areas, putting average cost of 30 ltrs/day to achieve high uptime by pathetic environment and noise pollution.

All these figures and statements are good enough to think for another long lasting energy solution. Obviously solar and wind are the best available solutions but not cost effective. Hence time has come to think of fuel cell solutions and gas-operated power sets in the areas where transportation of these elements is possible.

Tools available for power management

Telecom is the only sector which can act as a channel to generate more power and walk along hand-in-hand with-power sector.

Use of energy saving devices like Integrated Utility System, efficient DG Sets, alternate power sources, SMPS with minimal losses; Battery Management Device, Tower Infra Monitoring System (TIMS) ,Smart Grid Solutions ; and A combo pack of these solutions with innovative ideas will definitely give an edge to power management.

Importance of going Green

Telecom has won the first battle of gathering as many as 415 million mobile subscribers. We do not need an expert to tell us where the next big leap for India's telecom revolution will come from. So what is the big deal and from where the electricity will come to recharge the mobiles and to operate of towers equipments?

Every other industry is talking about going Green and are now being ranked on their greenness. So why not telecom companies? But unlike other industries like IT, telecom in India faces a unique challenges of availability of power. Pollution-free and hazardless solutions are key in next-gen operations.

Future of power management in India

All will have to focus on development and creation of new technologies to design systems to achieve the Green goals. Make an effort towards delivering low power solutions that fit battery power applications including telecommunications. New concepts and role of energy consultant firms will get appreciation from the telecom tower owners and by the consumers also. coming financial year is of high magnitude for the solution providers as they begin delivering energy management solutions to operators on a pan India basis. So far they have been doing pilot projects and have been offering EMS services.