Elisa Estonia has installed solar power panels at 13 base stations across seven municipalities as part of its plan to transition all stations to renewable energy. Each station under the pilot project is equipped with 20 solar panels, reflecting Elisa’s commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency.
A Leap Towards Sustainable Telecommunications
In a notable stride towards sustainable energy solutions, Elisa Estonia has announced the implementation of solar power panels at 13 of its base stations across seven municipalities. This initiative marks a significant step in the operator’s broader ambition to transition all its base stations to renewable energy in the future.
Elisa Estonia equips 13 base stations with solar panels, advancing its renewable energy goals.
Under the pilot project, each base station is equipped with 20 solar panels. The initiative is part of Elisa’s comprehensive strategy to integrate renewable energy solutions into its operations, enhancing environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.
In addition to the solar power integration, Elisa plans to install new lithium batteries at nearly 100 of its base stations this year. This move is aimed at bolstering the energy storage capabilities of the base stations, ensuring a reliable power supply and enhancing the resilience of the network. The combination of solar power and advanced battery technology represents a significant leap forward in sustainable energy management for telecom operations.
Pioneering Solar-Powered Network Operations
Elisa’s commitment to renewable energy is further exemplified through its collaboration with Ålcom, a telecom operator based in the Åland Islands. This partnership involves the deployment of Elisa’s Distributed Energy Storage (DES) solution, which utilizes solar energy for mobile network operations.
Following a successful trial earlier this year involving Elisa, Ålcom, and Solel Åland, the DES solution will now be implemented to store and use solar energy in mobile network backup batteries. This innovative approach aims to reduce costs, cut carbon emissions, and enhance the resilience of Ålcom’s mobile network.
The Elisa DES solution is a cutting-edge energy management system that combines solar panels and batteries to create a battery energy storage system. This system captures and stores solar energy during optimal conditions and uses this stored energy to power the network. Additionally, the system can supplement energy from the grid if needed.
“This is a great milestone for us and Ålcom, and a concrete example of optimizing solar energy utilization with DES. This advance proves how we can harness AI/ML-powered technology and renewable power generation in mobile network operations to fight climate change and reduce carbon emissions. With the added benefits of cost savings and improved network resilience, we are creating many winners,” said Jukka-Pekka Salmenkaita, VP for AI and Special Projects at Elisa.
Sustainability and Resilience: Core Benefits for Ålcom
For Ålcom, the integration of solar energy into its operations represents a significant commitment to sustainability. The use of solar power helps the operator reduce costs, gain flexibility, and manage the variability and uncertainty in energy generation, demand, and grid availability.
Peter Löfman, Head of Network at Ålcom, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: “We are delighted to add solar energy to our operations with Elisa DES. This investment is part of Ålcom’s continued commitment to sustainability. Including solar production in the energy mix helps us reduce costs and gain flexibility and means to cope with variability and uncertainty in energy generation, demand, and grid availability.”
Economic and Environmental Impact
The Elisa DES solution transcends mere cost savings. By ingeniously converting backup batteries into a virtual power plant (VPP), it empowers telecom operators to offer balancing services to the electricity grid. This load-shifting capability optimizes energy consumption, allowing operators to buy energy when prices are low and use stored energy during peak times.
Henri Korpi, EVP for International Digital Services at Elisa highlighted the significance of this development: “This type of democratization and real-time participation in the energy market has not been accessible to telecom operators before. Selling excess capacity back to the grid to help balance supply and demand can be a source of additional revenue for operators.”
The initiative by Elisa Estonia and the collaboration with Ålcom underscore the telecom industry’s potential to embrace innovative energy solutions, paving the way for a greener and more resilient future. As these projects continue to develop, they will serve as benchmarks for other operators seeking to integrate renewable energy into their operations and reduce their environmental footprint.