BT trial powers mobile phone mast with renewable energy

Power is generated through a combination of solar and wind energy which is then used to charge the batteries that power the on-site 4G/5G mast.

In the event of insufficient renewable energy being available and the battery power being fully discharged, a generator powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (which is produced from a variety of waste and residual oils) simultaneously provides back-up power to the mast and charge to the batteries.

BT Group expects the site to deliver approximately 17,000kWh of wind and solar energy per year, saving the company upwards of £10k.

The Shropshire Hills site is serving as a trial, but BT Group said it has already identified hundreds of additional locations which have the potential to derive much of their power from on-site renewable sources, particularly in coastal or hilly locations.

In a statement, Greg McCall, chief networks officer, BT Group, said: “Delivering ubiquitous coverage is critically important in an age where connectivity has never been so central to everyday life, but it absolutely must be done in a responsible and sustainable manner. It’s paramount that we increase the energy-efficiency of our networks, and so we’re really excited about the potential of self-powering sites in enabling us to meet both our sustainability and connectivity ambitions.”

BT Group is aiming to become a net zero business by 2031, but its networks account for around 89 per cent of its total energy consumption. The self-powering site is the latest innovation aimed at addressing this and follows the roll-out of energy-saving cell-sleep technology across its RAN estate earlier this year, plus the successful retirement of its legacy 3G network.