Telecommunications infrastructure plays a critical role in allowing access to finance, education, health, and insurance services. Many tower companies (TowerCos) and mobile network operators (MNOs) require a renewable energy solution that will provide 100% power availability. This is a vital metric for success for TowerCos and MNOs alike who need to uphold premium service to its customers while transitioning to renewables. With extensive experience delivering affordable, reliable renewable power solutions in remote locations for the telecommunications industry, WATT is the partner of choice for many TowerCos in the largest economy in Africa.
WATT recently partnered with Pan African Towers’ (PAT) to install solar PV on 375 of its telecommunications sites across Nigeria. To ensure 100% power availability, WATT has opted to co-locate batteries on all suitable sites. It also continuously monitors and proactively maintains all sites from its network operation centre to ensure industry-leading reliability and uptime.
By using renewable energy, it reduces reliance on diesel and can support company growth while deploying a localised business model that empowers the communities in which they operate. Redundant power generated by the sites is being made available to local communities at a subsidised rate so that they too will benefit from PAT’s energy transition. In some locations, the towers house kiosks to facilitate further education and in others, have created opportunities for drying of farm produce.
Bringing light and power to remote villages for the first time
The duo is particularly proud of the installation in Gumaka where the village’s 300 residents are benefiting from power and light for the first time. A remote village located southeast of Kano in northern Nigeria, Gumaka is a farming community where around 50% of the population are school-aged children. Reflecting both companies’ goals to empower the communities in which they operate, excess power from the solar PV installation is provided to the community.
This has had an immeasurable impact on the community. Not only will residents benefit from improved mobile coverage and broadband connectivity, but the installation also provides a sense of security as well as a place for school children to study after dark. Local businesses benefit from the reliable source of light and power, making a new range of ventures possible, such as selling refrigerated goods, TV watching and gaming access, and phone charging stations.
Speaking about the installation Oluwole “Wole” Eweje, CEO and founder of WATT Renewable Corporation said: “All our work is about bringing people together and creating a sustainable future. So much of it is driven by the potential I see in the young kids in those communities – who probably remind me of myself – and my knowledge of how reliable power can genuinely change the game. There is so much blank space to replicate these positive impacts in emerging economies around the world.”
Technical details
The contract covers a range of telecommunications sites each of which requires a tailored installation of solar panels, chargers, and batteries to provide a 100% renewable source of power with 100% uptime that covers the entire electrical load.
Solar capacity: 31kWp to 98kWp (110kWh/day to 343kWh/day)
Load capacity: 24kWh to 60kWh
Energy storage capacity: 58kWh to 117kWh
Total generating capacity: 30kW to 600kW
