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Technology developed at Bell Labs will make it
possible for the more than one billion people in areas not served with
electricity to access advanced communications services
Paris, June 2, 2009 – Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext and NYSE: ALU) today
announced the operational launch of the first alternative energy laboratory and
pilot site in the world dedicated to the telecoms sector. Located on its Bell
Labs research site in Villarceaux, France, this station forms part of an
Alternative Energy strategic program launched by Alcatel-Lucent to respond
to the growing demand from wireless operators for energy-autonomous and green
wireless networking equipment that can provide advanced communications
capabilities even in remote areas with no access to commercial power grids.
Alcatel-Lucent’s Alternative Energy program will make it possible for
operators to extend the reach of their wireless services to access a huge
population of potential new subscribers for its customers – the more than one
billion people living in areas not served by an electrical grid. These people
have no access to phone or broadband services and consequently are cut off from
a vital tool for economic and social development.
This program builds on Alcatel-Lucent’s recent innovations to create more
energy efficient wireless networks and leverage its experience deploying more
than 300 radio sites powered by alternative energy sources. The goal is to
develop a mass-produced alternative energy solution capable of being deployed
to more than 100,000 wireless base station sites through 2012.
The Villarceaux pilot site consists of a wireless base station powered by a
hybrid system of solar panels and wind turbines, but not dependent on the
electrical grid. At the same time, the laboratory section is researching other
energy sources, such as fuel cells and bio-fuels.
“The site offers Alcatel-Lucent and its customers and its industrial,
institutional and academic partners, the ability to analyze, test and validate
the solutions proposed by the dynamic, but fragmented, alternative energy
sector. It is also a center for people within the company and outside to
discuss and try out new ideas to bring the world of telecoms and that of
alternative energy closer together,” said Rich Garafola, director of
Sustainable Power solutions at Alcatel-Lucent.
The team of scientists and researchers staffing this lab also will research
technologies that will enable operators serving developed areas to retrofit
existing base stations with alternative energy solutions, consequently cutting
down on their carbon emission and helping them reduce their network operating
costs while protecting the environment.
About Alcatel-Lucent “Sustainable Power” services
The research on developing alternate energy sources for wireless base stations
is part of the company’s overall “Sustainable Power” service suite designed to
help enterprises and service providers develop detailed plans to reduce energy
consumption while maintaining and enhancing the quality and reliability of
their networks. Alcatel-Lucent offers professional network services that aid
carriers and enterprises analyze their network power consumption requirements,
identifying areas where improvements can be made to existing infrastructure as
well as make recommendations on alternative energy sources such as wind, solar
and fuel cells. The Sustainable Power service includes exhaustive energy
efficiency assessments that scope out the whole network from equipment
deployment to equipment recycling and the energy consumed in between.
About Alcatel-Lucent’s eco-responsible approach
As a leader in telecommunications, Alcatel-Lucent is helping to enrich people’s
daily lives by transforming the way in which the world communicates, and by
acting in full recognition of its social and environmental responsibilities as
a company. Alcatel-Lucent also recognizes the essential role the IT and
communications sectors must play in the global effort to address environmental
issues such as climate change. The Group is committed to playing an active role
and to involving its suppliers and other partners in a socially responsible
approach that respects the diverse local communities.
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