Husk Power Systems and Hotspot Network set to take mobile towers off-grid in Nigeria

Husk Power Systems and Hotspot Network to take mobile towers off-grid in Nigeria

By Theresa Smith

An energy services company and a telecommunications service provider are teaming up in Nigeria to transition mobile cell towers from diesel to solar and bundle electricity and connectivity solutions for off-grid communities.

Husk Power Systems and Hotspot Network have already converted almost 20 of the telecom’s mobile towers for diesel power to solar.

They expect to complete at least 100 projects of this nature by the middle of 2023.

Nigeria’s estimated 25,000 telecom towers and their base transceiver stations (BTS) use around 1.25 million liters of diesel every day. That is equivalent of 50 tonnes of CO2 emissions that can be avoided annually if these are converted to use solar power instead.

Working with Husk Power, Hotspot is going zero-carbon from design to installation of new mobile towers. This will reduce capital and operational costs and accelerate the telecom’s energy transition. At the same time it avoids risk from global diesel price volatility.

Image credit: Jorgen Hendriksen @Unsplash.com

It also means Hotspot can offer 100% clean energy service to mobile and data customers in Nigeria on a 24/7 basis.

Serving off-grid communities
The collaboration will also allow the two companies to introduce cost-effective energy and digital communication services to off-grid communities in Nigeria. Two communities where Husk operate solar microgrids now have access to mobile coverage for the first time through Hotspot.

The lack of coverage up to this point had stopped local businesses and households from taking advantage of mobile payment and other digital services.

Olu Aruike, Husk Nigeria country manager said their partnership is helping them speed up Nigeria’s C&I energy transition and open up more low carbon, modern services to drive economic opportunities where they didn’t previously exist.

“For Husk, reliable network coverage also enable us to better serve or customers, which is our ultimate mission,” said Aruike.