Alternative energy sources are increasingly gaining ground, both to reduce the use of carbon-intensive fossil fuels and to find cost-effective alternatives.

There are many options for more sustainable power supplies: wind power, solar power, fuel cells, micro-turbines and biofuels. Ericsson sees increasing customer interest and demand for “green” sites and is responding to the market with innovative solutions which are mainly suitable for areas that are not part of the electricity grid, or with unreliable energy sources. Off-grid sites are in most cases powered by a diesel generator that needs fuel supply and regular maintenance. In contrast, green sites can help reduce total cost of ownership for opera-tors through reduced logistics and maintenance costs.

Ericsson’s strategy for green sites is two-fold:

• To design optimal site solutions that combine renewable sources based on locally available sources.
• To introduce products that reduce energy consumption and to improve the energy efficiency of the total product mix. For example, new radio base stations that can operate at a higher temperature cut the power consumption needed for cooling the site. This opens the door to using renewable energy sources.

Approximately 100 solar-powered sites are currently in operation, primarily in Morocco, Algeria, Ethiopia and Mexico. Pilot projects utilizing biofuels were underway during 2006.