The community power solution of leading telecom technology provider Ericsson has received global recognition and won GSMA Global Mobile Award at the 2011 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona for best use of mobile for social and economic development, said a statement.
The “Ericsson Community Power” solution was developed in partnership with Swedish green site solution specialist Flexenclosure as part of a portfolio of innovative services and products for the Millennium Villages Project (MVP). Ericsson and Flexenclosure jointly won the award.
Having adopted the power solution, MTN in Liberia becomes the first operator in the world to implement a system of this type. With this, many of the residents of Liberia’s Kokoyah district could soon enjoy access to electricity in their homes for the first time, said the statement.
Comprising Ericsson Community Power and Flexenclosure’s E-site solution, this is a revolutionary product that combines an off-grid base-station site powered mainly by renewable energy sources such as sun and wind, with the ability to share excess power with surrounding local communities, institutions and individuals.
Lars Linden, head of Ericsson Sub-Saharan Africa, said: “We are honoured to have been presented with this award. This initiative reflects Ericsson’s ongoing commitment to harnessing our technical leadership in developing innovative products and sustainable business models that form the building blocks of a connected and sustainable Africa. We will continue to seek new ways of driving sustainable business growth for our customers and expand the reach of networks in Africa.”
This will take what has started in some markets as a way of charging mobile phones to a whole new level, enabling the electrification of the world’s remotest villages.
