S09 CAF 1 2020 Report_Layout 1 24/02/2020 05:22 Page 25
Remote management
POWER
Remote power: ensuring maximum uptime and longer life
Photo: Clear Blue
Power for cellular services in Rwanda.
Solar and hybrid power are coming together with technologies like machine learning, automated pattern detection and predictive analytics to revolutionise power supply for telecommunications in remote areas. Miriam Tuerk, CEO of Clear Blue, tells Communications Africa how power management for remote communications is evolving.
C
LEAR BLUE TECHNOLOGIES is part of a wave of clean technology companies taking a strong interest in Africa where telecommunications in particular can often be a long way from regular grid-supplied power. The company’s claim is that it delivers clean, managed, wireless power – anywhere and anytime. To do this it uses its patented Smart Off-Grid technology, delivered through its Energy-as-aService business model, to manage lighting, telecoms, Internet of Things devices, and other critical systems around the world. Clear Blue has thousands of systems under management across 36 countries. These countries include a growing number in sub-Saharan Africa. As long ago as 2018,
www.communicationsafrica.com
Clear Blue’s Smart Off-Grid solution and service provided the accompanying ‘power as a service’ to provide reliable, wireless, clean managed power for the Vanu cellular base station in Rwanda (Vanu Inc creates solutions for places that do not have good coverage today). Then, in September 2019, Clear Blue Technologies announced that its Smart OffGrid technology would be used to power new
Bringing mobile internet coverage to rural areas can be twice as expensive as in urban areas
telecommunications systems in support of voice and data services from 9mobile, a fastgrowing communications provider in Nigeria. The two sites in southern Nigeria are proofof-concepts for a planned much larger 2G/3G/4G project. 9mobile and Raeanna, a telecoms infrastructure company that creates affordable voice and data solutions, hope to roll out 100 sites in 2020 that will deliver voice and data connectivity in urban and suburban areas of Nigeria. Following this activity, in November last year Clear Blue announced the supply of Smart OffGrid solutions and services for seven greenfield sites in Ghana to power a telecommunications network for Vodafone Ghana. The consortium delivering the project will be led by NuRAN
Communications Africa Issue 1 2020
25
