Arctic solar system

Setting up telecom services in sparsely inhabited areas lacking even a public electricity network is generally recognised as one of the most difficult and expensive tasks a telephone company can undertake. This is especially so in Arctic areas like Finnish Lapland, where an unusually harsh environment makes exceptional demands on equipment. Here, the authors discuss how the problems of power supply have been addressed on the Finnish Telecom emergency telephone network with particular emphasis on practical experience gained in the use of solar panels and lead-acid batteries