Telecommunications tower maker edotco Myanmar Ltd has developed a slew of initiatives to help it keep up with the times while achieving a greener and more sustainable business model. Even though they will require a large capital expenditure to launch, the investments are expected to yield positive returns in the long term.
The company, which builds telecommunications towers, is bringing new infrastructure options to the tower industry that will help network operators reduce their carbon footprint and long-term costs as demand rises for faster internet speeds.
In anticipation of 4G expansion and introduction of 5G technology in Myanmar, the company sees a need for smaller server sites, such as bus stops, lamp posts and billboards to help network operators extend their coverage areas in cities like Yangon.
“There will be a need for higher frequencies and smaller, more mobile servers and less demand for tower sites. We are already providing these. For example, we have just installed four lamp-post servers at StarCity condominium because management did not want towers,” said Vijendran Watson, the company’s country managing director.
As environmental awareness grows, edotco Myanmar is also planning to reduce the use of steel in its towers by at least 30 percent. It is exploring the viability of bamboo towers, which are as sturdy as steel but more environmentally friendly. The company has deployed 15 bamboo towers in Bangladesh, resulting in a 70 percent reduction in carbon emissions, it claims.
“We are studying the use of local bamboo to build towers in Myanmar,” said Watson. He added that the company will also explore using carbon fibre to build towers, which is lighter than steel and results in a 20pc reduction in carbon emissions.
Eventually, edotco Myanmar will build 3-legged towers instead of 4-legged ones and employ new pole structures in place of the traditional lattice structure, which it claims will reduce carbon emissions by up to 60pc. Smaller layouts will require less material, reducing carbon emissions and making for a greener site.
Changing from 10x11 metre sites to 7x7 metre sites will also result in a 25pc-30pc reduction in costs.
This year, edotco Myanmar launched hybrid solar-wind turbine technology to power towers in areas with little access to electricity. The hybrid systems combine solar panels and a wind turbine, allowing even the slightest wind from any direction to be captured and turned into electricity.
“The limited electricity supply and poor grid infrastructure in Myanmar presents challenges when providing connectivity in remote areas. Myanmar’s topography offers great wind power density and high solar penetration, making these renewable energy sources a more cost efficient and greener long-term option for our company as well as for customers who lease tower space from us,” said Watson.
Although involving a large capital expenditure initially, the hybrid system is expected to help the company save costs and offer more sustainable service to its customers in the long term. The system has been launched at selected sites in Tanintharyi Region and is expected to be a viable alternative to diesel generators, which are currently used in remote locations to provide electricity.
The Kuala Lumpur-headquartered company has installed solar, wind and battery-powered systems at 1088 tower sites in the five Asian countries where it operates, eliminating carbon emissions where renewable energy is deployed, according to its data.
“In Myanmar, we have identified about 50 sites that will be solarised, replacing diesel-powered generators, which are noisy and increase our carbon footprint in the country. We also need to factor in the logistics involved in regularly transporting diesel fuel to many of these rural sites,” Watson said.
The tower maker recently collaborated with solar company Mandalay Yoma to connect tower sites with mini solar grids, removing the need for diesel generators and effectively reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution in the surrounding areas.
“We still have a large number of sites powered by diesel generators in Myanmar. We are identifying which of these sites can be powered by solar, wind or battery,” he said.
The company’s strategy to achieve long-term sustainability also ties into its shared model strategy, under which a single tower site is co-leased by more than one mobile network operator to defray costs. This helps operators speed up network roll-outs and maintain a greener record, making edotco Myanmar’s services more attractive to customers.
“Myanmar people are starting to ask for faster internet speeds and downloads, so demand is rising from network operators for towers to expand their coverage,” said Watson.
“In Myanmar, regulators have said from the start that they will implement a tower-sharing model to cut costs and improve efficiency, unless there is a good reason to build a tower yourself. In rolling out our hybrid system, we are first looking at the sites that have more than one tenant on the same tower, as these sites need more diesel to generate enough power to run the equipment. So it makes more sense for us to invest in solar and battery power at these sites,” Watson said.
edotco Myanmar owns 1970 towers across the country. A single steel telecom tower can cost up to US$100,000, and has a life of up to 30 years. Customers such as Ooredoo or MPT lease space to install their equipment on a tower, allowing them to provide network coverage.
Source: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/telco-seeks-greener-industry.html