Two major European cellular phone companies are incorporating windpower into cell towers.
Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) announced that it has successfully begun generating 15 to 20% of the electricity needed to power base stations with micro wind systems.
The systems, currently being tested at 32 base stations in Portugal, employ 3.5-kilowatt wind turbines.
Likewise, Ericsson (Nasdaq: Eric) unveiled its latest base station concept, called the Tower Tube, designed in collaboration with Vertical Wind AB and Uppsala University in Sweden.
The design harnesses wind power via a four-blade turbine with five-meter blades vertically attached to the tower.
The company will begin testing the new design, which is expected to require up to 40% less energy due to both the supply of wind power and other technological advancements.
Of note, the tower’s antennas will be fully enclosed within the tower, which can be painted to lessen the aesthetic impact on the landscape.
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