Operator Telecom Egypt has partnered with Huawei Technologies to implement what it describes as Africa’s first green towers.
Promoted as an alternative to the steel version, which causes high emissions of carbon dioxide, it is said to be the first eco-friendly, integrated solution utilising environmentally friendly towers made of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP).
Each tower is approximately 18 metres high, with a special camouflage fence made of environmentally friendly materials, supported by integrated wireless access solutions and a green solar energy system.
Each tower also boasts high resistance to severe environmental conditions, such as corrosion from exposure to chemicals and high temperatures.
That’s not all. According to the Managing Director and CEO of Telecom Egypt, Adel Hamed, Telecom Egypt’s green external sites depend on such innovations as the integration of antenna technology with signal amplifiers, which contributes to reducing the energy consumption of one site by about 40% compared to traditional sites. Features such as turning off signal amplifiers for some frequencies during low load hours are another way to help reducing energy consumption.
He also notes that these technologies contribute to improve signal quality by about 20% when compared to regular antennas, reducing the number of base stations required.
Jim Liu, CEO of Huawei Egypt, adds that recent studies have shown that FRP poles produce 43% less carbon dioxide emissions compared to steel and that energy solutions for green outdoor sites depend on passive cooling, which eliminates the need for air conditioning. This leads to a 47% reduction in energy consumption compared to sites with indoor rooms for devices.
