WINDHOEK: Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) and Leo have conducted five-month trials for the substitution of diesel generators that power cell site infrastructure which carries mobile phone traffic, with an environmentally friendly option.

The Britain-based Diverse Energy, which develops and manufactures clean, low-cost, secure power plants for the telecommunications industry on Monday announced the results of the trials of its PowerCube technology in Namibia.

The PowerCube is a fuel-cell based, off-grid electrical power generating solution, for back-up and prime power, which uses ammonia as its only fuel.

Speaking during the announcement of the results, Diverse Energy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dirk Smet said the breakthrough PowerCube technology has been trialed by MTC and LEO to generate off-grid electricity at base transceiver stations, which house the equipment used to facilitate connection between voice and data users and their network.

In field trials starting in February this year, PowerCube technology has enabled the operators to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to almost nil at the trial sites (base stations) and to make operating savings of up to 60 per cent.

For the trials, four PowerCubes were installed at diverse sites around Windhoek, and Diverse Energy announced on Monday that throughout the field trial, the technology achieved continuous radio operation.

Smet stated that the “dramatic reduction in costs” resulting from the use of the PowerCube presents Namibia’s telecoms industry with the opportunity to increase their network capacity without impacting on the environment.

“Namibia is already leading the way in green tourism. With the PowerCube, the country’s telecom leaders are paving the way to a green telecoms revolution,” he said.

PowerCube technology is primarily designed to replace costly, inefficient, greenhouse gas-emitting diesel generators.