The hydroelectric industry is the target market for Huawei’s latest ICT solution. The Private Broadband Network is known as Evolved Long-Term Evolution (eLTE).
The network carries voice, video, and data services throughout the hydroelectric generation plants. Additionally, it is able to do so above and below ground. Thus, workers in the plants are able to have instant communication at any time.
The technology is especially helpful as hydroelectric plants tend to have thick concrete walls. The walls are proving a challenge for existing communication systems e.g. Industrial two-way radios.
“Huawei’s eLTE Broadband Network penetrates the thick concrete walls to provide all essential communication and operational management services across the entire company,” said Huawei Kenya CEO Will Meng
Hence, the system is built to ensure efficient power generation, power plant operations and power distribution. It has modern features that ensures wholesome communication.
Huawei states that eLTE covers all sorts of working environments be it indoor or outdoor.
Users can have group calls for both voice and video. Additionally, is has the popular push-to-talk feature common in most half duplex communication systems.
Needless to say, in a hydroelectric plant, communication is essential for operations to work smoothly across the entire company,
eLTE to Optimize Operations in Africa
Currently, the solution is being implemented in West Africa. The eLTE solution has been tested in Ghana for the Bui Power Authority (BPA).
Ghana’s Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said that such technology like eLTE is key to help the country in optimizing its operations. indeed, this is inline with the country’s aim to achieve universal electricity access by 2025.
The minister was speaking when he commissioned the new Huawei system.
For hydropower dependent countries like Kenya, the solution is a fit. Huawei see hydropower producers like KenGen as a target client. Kenya’s power production is 57% from hydro power, about 32% is thermal and the rest geothermal and emergency thermal power.
The solution is set to get more users as the continent integrates more clean energy options into its power generation plans.
