The subscriptions of mobile phones exceeded the population of the planet and are getting bigger and bigger by the pass of time. This trend leads the telecom sector to a continuous increase in electrical energy consumption. The implementation of off-grid Base Transceiver Station (BTS) was unavoidable for the providers to cover the demand in remote areas in the past years. The basic energy supply on these sites is provided by 24 hours running a diesel generator and a battery bank as a backup unit. The mentioned state means high off-grid station's operational expenditures, due to frequent diesel generator maintenance and difficulties on fuel delivery. This paper evaluates the incorporation effectiveness of a PV system, wind turbine, and fuel cell as alternative technologies of power supply on off-grid BTS. A thorough comparison between the conventional system and the hybrid solution is developed. The technical and financial benefits of upgrading the power converter of the system by a retrofit scheme are also analyzed.
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