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As our dependency on cell phones remains constant despite concerns over radiation, powering cell phone towers is a significant application for alternative energy and one San Diego-based wind company is already working on a way to power towers in remote locations in the United States and Africa.
Helix Wind Corp., a global renewable energy company, announced Sept. 23 that it is in the testing stage in a project to benefit telecommunications companies and reduce operating costs. Helix designs and manufactures small wind vertical axis turbines that generate 300W, 1kW, 2.0kW, 4.0kW, and 50kW of clean, renewable electricity.
Helix says its wind turbines are an ideal solution for towers that are remote or off-grid and use unreliable or expensive energy sources. Depending on the configuration, Helix turbines can produce enough power to pay for themselves in six months, Helix says.
Helix plans to have test sites installed in the U.S. and Nigeria by November 2009. The first test turbines will be installed for Eltek NSG in Nigeria in late October. If successful, the testing would serve as a model for rollout to several operators in the region and possibly other African nations.
“There is a tremendous opportunity for Helix Wind in the cell tower markets in developing countries and remote applications,” Ian Gardner, Helix Wind CEO, said. “Currently such towers are powered by diesel generators, which are bad for the environment and extremely expensive to operate. Anywhere the power grid is unreliable, expensive or simply non-existent, wind is an ideal renewable energy resource able to power these towers and reduce their operating cost. Helix Wind is excited to be entering the test phase of our solution for this promising new market.”
