Eltek Solar Solution Helps Verizon Power Off-Grid Wireless Basestation

Eltek, the world leader in high efficiency power systems, today announced it has completed an off-grid hybrid solar power installation for Verizon Wireless.

The company installed a Flatpack2 High Efficiency (HE) hybrid solar-propane DC power system at Verizon’s Bear Mountain, Calif., wireless basestation. The cell site is located in a remote Northern California area near Mt. Shasta and serves both local residents and a large population of recreational hikers and outdoor lovers.

The Bear Mountain cell site has no access to utility power and instead it relied on propane generators and a 20-year-old hybrid solar power system to keep it running around the clock.

Verizon called on Eltek to install the Flatpack2 solar system to power the basestation as well as to manage the entire power infrastructure including inverters, rectifiers, generators and battery recharging. The new system also dramatically reduces maintenance costs for Verizon.

The Flatpack2 HE hybrid solar power system includes the Flatpack2 HE solar converter, the Flatpack2 HE rectifier and the Smartpack controller. The Flatpack2 HE solar converter connects to the solar panels and converts the solar power into a regulated 48VDC for supply to the telecom equipment.

The Eltek system immediately boosted solar power production, cutting the amount of time the generators had to run from 18 hours to less than four hours per day. The Flatpack2 HE hybrid solar power system also provides remote monitoring capability enabling Verizon maintenance personnel to remotely monitor the site.

“Solar power can play a significant role in powering telecom sites where it can be engineered to significantly reduce the operating expenses and maximize power output,” said David Leal, Eltek’s vice president of North American sales. “What Verizon has done at the Bear Mountain site shows the possibilities for telecom solar throughout the United States.”

About Eltek
Eltek is a technology leader in high-efficiency (HE) power solutions for telecom and industrial applications. The company also has a growing business in renewable markets, such as photovoltaic grid inverters and chargers for electric vehicles. With U.S. headquarters in Richardson, TX, the company’s global operations employ approximately 2,400 people, offices in 40 countries and sales in more than 100 countries. More information is available at http://www.eltek.com.