SMART TELECOM: A TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY ADVOCATE FOR A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT

A case Study of Uganda

Introduction Smart Telecom, also known as/Green Telecom, refers to the use of efficient, reliable and cost-effective power energy products and applications that are environment-friendly targeted at providing clean energy to Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs). Smart Telecom advocates for green/ clean energy systems for telecommunication operators as a drive to avert the environmental degradation that may have adverse effects on climate, while reducing on telecom operators Capex and Opex.

Background to the problem Telecom operators heavily rely on main power grid as the major source of power energy for their equipment. The industry has of recent grown causing a high demand for power supply. This growth in telecommunications industry is mostly determined by both social and economic forces of demand and supply (market forces) forfeiting environmental infringement. In Uganda, electricity supply is being faced with a number of challenges most on top being that people as well as business ventures expect to access as much electricity as they wish and whenever they want it for their businesses to run effectively. The challenges of managing increasing and fluctuating demand for electricity are compounded by both political and regulatory pressure to shift to renewable energy sources that will not only reduce the power utilitys carbon footprint [1] but also reduces on the telecoms Capex and Opex. The need for reliable alternative infrastructure that promise a noticeable reduction in the telecom operators Capex and Opex led to such innovations like infrastructure sharing, power management systems, and adoption of green energy systems to power the BTSs. Additionally, high costs of diesel gen sets to supplement power, social concern on the environment as well as governments drive to adapt environmental policies with the primary cause of conserving environment as a measure to counteract climate changes require Telcos (Telecommunications Companies) embrace the smart grid power solutions (such as Fuel Cells which use hydrogen) and its real-time applications such as Integrated Power management Systems (IPMS) and Site Asset Management tools (SAM) to power their communications networks. Fuel cells serve to replace diesel gen sets as source of alternative power while BTS infrastructure sharing serves to reduce the number of masts
1

construction among telecoms across the country. Unlike diesel generators which are prone to high carbon emissions and noise negatively affecting the environment plus high Capex and Opex, most fuel cells use hydrogen with less or no carbon emissions, no noise, reduced Capex and Opex, and therefore provide clean energy. Fuel cells and infrastructure sharing are among Smart Telecom innovation.

The Problem Telecom sector is growing at reasonably high speed with significant contribution to economic growth and development in form of reliable communication for date-to-day business and non-business transactions. As science has it, every action yields an opposite reaction irrespective of which magnitude. The growth in telecom industry has led to high demand for power and related effects such as increased operations and capital expenses, increased level of green house gases emissions (carbon) due to mainly alternative power supply sources (diesel generators) used to backup the main power grid, noise, among others. The increase in carbon footprint for example due to the use of diesel generators to power BTSs has registered diverse effects on the environment thereby affecting the climate. This paper will look at the effect of growth of telecoms to the environment in relation to mitigation to climate changes in Uganda, and suggest the adoption of smart technology solutions for provisioning of efficient and reliable environment-friendly power supply to BTSs. The Goal The main goal of this project is: To suggest to the telecoms operators alternative systems that can efficiently and reliably provide power energy supply to their BTS equipment (or simply transmission sites) with less or no environment effect through less or no carbon emissions, and suggest to the regulatory authority possible policies that may be put in place to enable Telcos adopt smart telecom initiative.

Specific objectives The specific objectives of this research project are to: Understand what smart telecoms are, and assess the adoption of Smart telecoms in relation to environment conservation in Uganda Analyse the strategies that can be put in place to ensure telecom operators adopt
2

Smart Telecom application systems for energy efficiency at BTS, and infrastructure sharing. Analyse environmental and other relevant policies in place, if any, in relation to telecom operators in Uganda. Devise means that will enable all the Telecom Operators in Uganda shift to deployment of Smart Telecoms systems and applications.

Anticipated outcomes The anticipated outcomes resulting from this research/project include: Exposure of the available smart telecom equipment and application solutions for Telcos in a bid to control high Capex and Opex relating to power amongst telecom operators. Recommended alternative efficient and reliable clean energy power solution for BTS other than diesel gen sets. Recommended favourable policies to the regulatory authority aiming at enabling Telcos shift to smart telecom adoption as a mitigation and adaptation to climate changes. Guaranteed improvement on environmental healthy as the result of reduced green house emissions being manifested from the substitution of smart technology solutions (such as fuel cells for diesel gen sets, Inala and IPMS solutions.).

Methodology This research shall be a qualitative one. The methodologies to be used to accomplish the above objectives are: Historical: The past/ previous power supply sources shall be analyzed with the event of establishing their pros and cons. Comparative: The adoption of Smart/ Green Telecom systems by Telcos including the adaptation strategies shall briefly be described. Descriptive: Possible green telecom power supply solution and other systems currently in use are being studied and both results compared in terms of reliability, cost-effectiveness and their related environmental impact.
3

The theoretical model upon (or conceptual framework within) which the project is considers primarily two major concepts: The concept of cost-effective and reliable power energy for Telcos to supplement the current insufficient (or completely lacking in some parts of the country) main power grid, and The concept of clean energy adoption in view of environmental conservation as a mitigation to climate changes in Uganda.

References [1]. Dynamic Communications for Smart Grid; Driving smarter energy management and usage. [2]. Saving Costs Saving the Environment; Innovations for the Telecom Industry, http://www.greentelecomsummit.com/ accessed on 18th November, 2011. [3]. Ericsson; Sustainable energy use in Mobile Communications Key Facts. [4]. A Green Future; Asia and Europe Growing Sustainably Munich, Germany 1st-3rd September 2010 [5]. Deloitte; The line goes green: Why environmental policies are critical to Telcos and recommended strategies. [6]. Ram Krishna, R.K Siddhartha, and Naveen Kumar. Green Energy Technology (GET) for Telecom Applications [7]. ZTE White Paper, Green Technology Innovations 2011