Refitting a major microwave radio system with photovoltaic power supplies

The authors report on the planning and implementation of a solar refit program on part of the Panaftel microwave system in West Africa, linking Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Benin. It is concluded that in spite of the high initial capital cost, conversion from fuel-dependent power systems to photovoltaic (PV) systems on major microwave routes can be economically sound. The main saving is in fuel cost. Although routine and emergency maintenance will in all probability be reduced, overall maintenance expenditures may not be very different between fuel-dependent systems and PV systems. This is due to the high cost of periodic replacement of aging batteries that is necessary. The effect of conversion on telecommunication system availability is positive, although it was not possible to quantify this factor due to other improvements being introduced during the same time frame. A simplification of maintenance power requirements is foreseeable with the introduction of PV systems