Controllis Launches Carbon-Neutral Power Solution For Off-Grid And Poor-Grid Telecom Sites

Controllis Zero offsets CO2 emissions from power production with sustainable solar and biofuel system

According to the GSMA, there are more than one million off-grid/poor-grid telecoms sites in use globally, which combined are generating a carbon footprint higher than countries such as Nepal, Cambodia and Cameroon. By leveraging the environmental benefits of biofuels and supporting ethically approved CO2 offsetting processes such as tree planting or renewable energy sources for remote communities, Controllis Zero is poised to help large Telco’s meet their legal, shareholder and green obligations.

Controllis, a leading supplier of hybrid power systems for mobile network operators (MNOs) and tower companies, has leveraged its experience to develop a zero-carbon site power system to help support a net-zero emissions economy, established by the Paris Agreement.

Controllis Zero will allow off-grid and poor grid sites to produce cleaner energy overall by replacing their dependence on fossil fuels with an eco-friendly solar and biofuel alternative.

Based on Controllis’ proven and globally deployed Modular48 DC power system, (which already reduces carbon emissions by up to 90 percent by harnessing solar power and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries), Controllis Zero will allow MNOs and tower companies to overcome the final 10 percent of the CO2 emissions challenge. 

Controllis has been able to achieve this carbon-neutral status by considering the carbon cycle process in its entirety and adapting its unique DC generator technology to run on E100 bioethanol instead of diesel. All this is accomplished without compromising network uptime.

“With global warming showing no signs of slowing down and net-zero targets looming, companies are under increasing pressure to operate more sustainably”, explains Simon Albury, Managing Director of Controllis. “Controllis Zero has been developed with efficiency initiatives such as OFGEM’s ECO in mind and any CO2 released during energy production is offset by a carbon-neutral biofuel manufacturing process.”

The Controllis Zero biofuel lifecycle

Controllis Zero offsets CO2 emissions from power production with sustainable biofuel system

• The manufacture of E100 bioethanol during the plant growth stage is carbon negative because CO2 is converted into oxygen by photosynthesis
• CO2 emissions during bioethanol fermentation and distillation are counterbalanced by ethical offset programs supported by the United Nations
• E100 bioethanol is shipped to different locations using the greenest modes of land and sea transport. The emissions for the transport phase are also offset.
• Controllis’ hybrid solar lithium-ion solution is the principal power source up to 90% of the time. Controllis’ bioethanol-powered generator produces the remaining 10%

Controllis Zero also comprises robust and secure remote monitoring and analytical tools, giving onsite and offsite maintenance teams meaningful and actionable insights into all aspects of the system’s power output and performance levels in real-time.

Controllis Zero will be Commercially Available From Q1 2020

About Controllis

Controllis is a power system hardware and software company headquartered in the UK and working with partners and customers worldwide. The Controllis products range from standalone DC generator units up to fully integrated hybrid renewable systems. Our advanced cloud-based remote management system provides detailed visibility and analytics of your power network performance in real-time.

The Controllis mission is to provide cost-effective carbon-neutral power anywhere by using our unique technology to deliver reduced operating costs, lower risks and provide better network insights to customers – Better Power Anywhere.