Eltek has announced the completion of an off-grid hybrid solar power installation for Verizon Wireless.
The company installed a Flatpack2 High Efficiency hybrid solar-propane DC power system at Verizon’s Bear Mountain, Calif., wireless basestation. The cell site is located in a remote Northern California area near Mt. Shasta and serves both local residents and a large population of recreational hikers and outdoor lovers.
The Bear Mountain cell site has no access to utility power and has relied on propane generators and a 20-year-old hybrid solar power system to keep it running.
The system includes a converter, rectifier and the Smartpack controller, which together convert solar power to 48VDC. The new system also dramatically reduces maintenance costs for Verizon, Eltek says.
The Eltek system immediately boosted solar power production, cutting the amount of time the generators had to run from 18 hours to less than four hours per day, the company says. The system also provides remote monitoring capability enabling Verizon maintenance personnel to remotely monitor the site.
“What Verizon has done at the Bear Mountain site shows the possibilities for telecom solar throughout the United States.” says David Leal, Eltek’s vice president of North American sales.
Eltek
www.eltek.com
