RESEARCH PROPOSAL

GRID-TIED POWER GENERATING BASE

TRANSCEIVER STATIONS

BY
Giles Doro
Reg No R123429P

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Currently in the Zimbabwean Telecommunications sector, site availability is mainly affected by
power challenges due to load shedding and generator faults. Site unavailability affects telecoms
network performance, service delivery and subsequently user experience.
Most Base Stations have back up power to grid electricity using Generator sets. Diesel
generators, which are by far the most common energy source as backup power and for remote
base stations today, present a number of economic, logistical, and environmental challenges.
The unreliability of the current power structure inspired the author to look for more robust power
solution that not only improves site availability but also reduces emissions and operational
expenses.

GENERIC RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM

The student has come up with a notion to implement a grid-tied solar power system that reduces
site downtime. This is a semi-autonomous electrical generation system which links to the mains
to feed excess capacity back to the local mains electrical grid. Because the local system is phase
matched, electricity can be drawn from the mains grid in the situation of a generating shortfall or
discharge in batteries

The Power generating BTS would not require a diesel generator. The solar panels would capture
Direct Current electricity which is then passed to a grid tied inverter. The inverter monitors the
alternating current mains supply waveforms and generates electricity that is phase matched. The
DC electrical system is attached to the mains via this mechanism.

Figure 1: Power Generating BTS Architecture

In the event of a power fault, the robust power generating base station system becomes gridindependent by using a battery bank to provide stored power. In this way we can ensure that the
BTS, communications equipment or other critical loads are not unexpectedly shut down, thus
avoiding data loss, equipment damage, and other problems. This hybrid approach will both fix
long-term energy costs and provide security.

MOTIVATION AND BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Power outages are currently the major cause unavailability of BTS and NodeB units. In the
remote off- grid areas, generator mechanical faults contribute significantly to this downtime.
This results in frequent disruption of service and subsequent revenue loss.
Generators work by converting mechanical energy to electrical energy. When the generator
produces more electrical than the power required to charge the DC batteries, then the excess
power is wasted. This results in unnecessary excess cost and wastage of energy. There was
therefore a need to come up with a more power efficient design that did not have high
maintenance costs such as servicing and refuelling.
Zimbabwe is geographically located in the Savannah region, which has one of the highest
average sun light hours per day and intensity levels in the world. The climate in Zimbabwe is
typically tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March). The terrain: mostly
high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east, which are conducive for
solar power generation.
Taking into consideration the vast number of BTS sites spatially located within the national grid
coverage across the country, the total amount of power generating using this method would be

significant not only to serve the purpose of maintaining the site up but also to reduce load
shedding .Using a simplified approach for interconnecting and metering on-site renewable
generating facilities, telecommunication service providers can use excess solar electric
generation to offset utility-purchased electricity on a monthly or annul basis by means of a
concept known as net metering. This concept would be able to help alleviate the current national
power crisis, by contributing excess power back to the grid and in the process generating
revenue.
Advantages of the Power Generating Base Station

Excess electricity can be sold to mains.

Electrical shortfall can be bought from mains.

BTS and NodeB units are already usually located where there is a line of sight vision to
other sites, implying that they are normally in an open and elevated area, which is also the
ideal environment for the solar systems

No running costs e.g. fuel resulting in power savings

No moving parts, thereby minimizing mechanical failures

No wasted energy, excess electricity is sold back to the grid in cases where the solar
system has generated more energy than that the capacity of the batteries

No power loss due to inductance

Bill Reduction

Green Energy

METHODOLOGY
This project is going to be simulated by using a grid tied inverter inter-connecting to a miniature
solar panel system and the national power grid. A Graphical User Interface will compute the net
power transfer between the solar system and the grid in real time using the generic kWh
calibration.
Solar photovoltaic cells convert sunlight to direct current electricity. Direct Current electricity is
then passed to an inverter which is grid tied. The inverter monitors the alternating current mains

supply waveforms and generates electricity that is phase matched. The DC electrical system is
attached to the mains via this mechanism as shown in the figure below.

As a solar PV system starts generating electricity, it first goes to meeting the on-site electric
demand at the Base Station, slowing down the power being supplied by the grid. It is very
common that later on in the day the solar PV system may produce more power than what is
needed at the site, at which point the excess electricity will automatically back feed through
the bi-directional meter, based on the signal from the control circuit. Because the local system is
phase matched, electricity can be drawn from the mains in the situation of a
generating shortfall or discharge in batteries. A Java based GUI metering system will then
account for the overall power usage.
When there is load shedding or grid power is lost for some reason, the inverter activates a
transfer switch which opens its connection to the grid. This keeps the inverter from trying to
power other devices in the grid, as well as keep energy off the power lines so utility workers
dont get shocked.
The inverter also converts the dc power to ac power when feeding back to the grid.
Interfacing/interconnection with the grid is done through a circuit breaker on the main electric
service panel. The solar panels will be implemented in a fixed tilt position as part of the BTS
equipment shade roofing.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
The aim of the project is to use the suns energy to create a robust power system that reduces site
downtime, cuts running costs and possibly even create revenue. The main objective is to be able
to fully utilize grid and backup power system in order to get the best of both in a cheap and
effective manner that not only helps to alleviate the national power crisis but also contributes to a
cleaner environment and less equipment downtime.

WORK PLAN.
TIME LINE
March

April
May
June

July
September
October
November

ACTIVITY
Layout design
completion of research
proposal
Design AC-DC conversion
circuitry and line monitoring
mechanism
Program the GUI and test with
dummy input.
Layout and wiring.
Assemble hardware
components and software
Testing of hardware
components and software
compatibility
Testing of hardware
components and software
Hardware compatibility with
software
System testing and
presentation

LIST OF RESOURCES REQUIRED.

Single phase full bridge inverter
20 Watt 12 V mono-crystalline solar Panel/DC Power Supply
Charge controller circuit
12 Volt Lithium Ion Battery
Circuit board
Laptop computer
MSP430 microcontroller
Resistors and capacitors

KEY QUESTIONS TO BE
ANSWERED

Circuit board wires

Soldering iron
Soldering gun
Visual Studio software

References
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/off-grid-power-for-mobile-base-stations---renewableand-alternative-energy-sources-for-remote-mobile-telecommunications-global-market-analysisand-forecasts-188185711
Off-Grid Power for Mobile Base Stations - Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources for
Remote Mobile Telecommunications: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts- Navigant Pike
Report 2012