htw saar develops autonomous photovoltaic-hydrogen-storage system to secure power supply for telecom base stations

en.Wedoany.com Reported - htw saar - University of Applied Sciences for Technology and Economics of Saarland, together with Vantage Towers and several industrial partners, is developing a modular autonomous energy system aimed at keeping telecom base stations powered during prolonged power outages, natural disasters, or failures of the public power grid.

The core of the system is a modular energy container integrating photovoltaic power generation, battery storage, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and emergency generator sets fueled by hydrogen and liquefied gas. Depending on the duration of the interruption, the architecture allows flexible combinations of various power sources: batteries provide immediate response, while generator sets ensure autonomous operation of the base station for several days.

A key achievement of the project so far is the hydrogen-powered generator developed at the Institute for Automotive Powertrain (Institut Automotive Powertrain) at htw saar under the direction of Thomas Heinze. The generator is based on a modified internal combustion engine capable of running on hydrogen, manufactured using series production technology, and equipped with exhaust gas aftertreatment to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. According to the developers, it achieves an electrical efficiency of 30% to 45% and complies with current emission limits.

Testing of the photovoltaic generation component is being carried out at the Alt-Saarbrücken campus, where a demonstration system with a solar tracker has been installed, consisting of 8 modules with an installed capacity of 4 kWp. The project developers consider the tracking function particularly attractive for telecom base stations, where available space is often limited; plans also call for adding wind power at suitable sites to complement photovoltaics, enhancing the stability and diversity of the renewable energy mix.

The researchers will use the demonstration system at the Alt-Saarbrücken campus to investigate the joint operation of the various power sources and assess the feasibility of integrating the relevant technologies into the energy architecture of critical infrastructure.