SDMOs diesel gensets provide backup power for thousands of cellsites in emerging markets, with dual DGs providing primary power at many off grid sites. But SDMO also offers a containerised hybrid energy solution which can cut DG runtime to six hours per day, extending site visits from every 10 days to every two months.
TowerXchange: Please introduce us to SDMO - where do you fit in the telecoms infrastructure supply chain?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
SDMO is an industrial company manufacturing genset solutions. While SDMO design gensets up to 3300kVA, my focus is on smaller units for BTS sites. Our customers include operators and, increasingly, independent tower companies, which tend to be more concerned with financial output rather than the technical output of gensets.
SDMO is focused on reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), we have extensive experience and familiarity with telecom energy requirements in Africa and in the Middle East, and we’re able to adjust our products to the changing demands of the market.
Telcos and towercos still see SDMO as primarily a DG manufacturer, so we welcome the opportunity in TowerXchange to say that we offer hybrids too. We have only sold a few hybrids so far, but they have been very successful, whereas our DG sales remain in the thousands.
TowerXchange: SDMO is probably best known as one of the world’s foremost diesel genset manufacturers, but tell us about your hybrid power solutions and Smart Energy Centre - what does the solution consist of?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
We believe that cell site energy solutions have evolved to the point where, for a little higher initial capex, you can make massive opex savings, achieving better TCO in the long run. In parallel, towercos and operators are increasingly thinking about green power - reducing their carbon footprint and emissions while cutting opex. This thinking has led SDMO to develop our own hybrid solution.
The SDMO hybrid solution consists of a deep cycle battery plus diesel genset and an optional solar panel. It’s a containerised turnkey solution, which means it’s quick and easy to install, and we have units ready to ship right away.
Our hybrid range can be adapted, but comes in two different sizes. One solution fits in a 20ft shipping container, split into two parts; in one section is a GSM genset without canopy, and a 1000L capacity fuel tank. In the other part of the container is a deep cycle battery and the Smart Energy Centre, both manufactured by reputable companies. We offer an option to mount a solar panel array on the roof. Inside this 20ft container there is sufficient space to put the BTS inside, enabling tower operators to optimise space on site and protect against robbery.
We also have another hybrid solution which fits inside a 10ft shipping container.
SDMO’s hybrid solar system is unique in that solar power is used as a booster and complementary source of supply to supplement the battery. When the DG is not running and the site is powered by the battery, it can be charged by the solar panels, but the site cannot run just on solar.
We are able to be flexible to accommodate requests from clients. For example if they want to upgrade energy storage capacity so the site can run for 48 hours on battery - of course, more batteries adds capital expense. In order to optimise energy efficiency, performance and autonomy to the specific load requirements of each site, you need to match the size of the battery bank and any PV panels to the size of the DG and the fuel tank. For maximum autonomy, we can upgrade the fuel tank to 2000L.
Our Smart Energy Centre manages the energy supply cycle on a cell site to ensure continuity of operation 24/7 while minimising energy opex. The Smart Energy Centre also provides seven alarm reports - genset faults, low fuel, battery status, customer charge, solar charge controller, Smartpack and rectifiers.
TowerXchange: What is the ‘sweet spot’ in terms of the load requirements of a typical BTS site?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
Most clients are looking for a load of 1.8-2.5kW. Power consumption is significantly affected by air conditioning systems as well as BTS equipment. Engines running at a higher altitude above sea level also require more power.
If our customers are interested in hybrids, we can link them with our local agent who can assist with site surveys to assess ground space, load and current energy consumption. Monitoring a site for 48 hours enables us to get to know the conditions and select the right solution to match the situation.
TowerXchange: How does the TCO of hybrid power compare to running dual DGs at off grid sites?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
Hybrid power can yield huge opex savings compared to running dual DGs for twelve hours each. With hybrid power, DG runtime can be reduced to five to eight hours. It’s not just the reduced diesel consumption that delivers the TCO savings - with each running hour a DG moves closer to needing its filters swapped, a change of oil or simply a refuelling visit. In order to optimise energy efficiency, performance and autonomy to the specific load requirements of each site, you need to match the size of the battery bank and any PV panels to the size of the DG and the fuel tank. At a classic off grid BTS site with dual DGs, a site visit is required every 500 hours, i.e. every 10 days. Cutting DG runtime to six hours using hybrid power reduces site visits to every two months. Given the difficulties accessing remote cell sites, it is critical to monitor fuel consumption per day so you can match the fuel tank size to the gap between maintenance visits.
Hybrid power requires higher initial capex of course, but the significant reductions in opex, both in terms of diesel consumption and site visits, means the TCO compared to dual diesel generators quickly catches up, so ROI can be achieved within two years, and I’ve seen some instances where it ROI is achieved in just six months.
It’s still tough to make the business case at a higher level for more efficient hybrid energy solutions, so SDMO still sell a lot of diesel generators! With the global economic crisis, a number of operators’ capex investments were frozen, and buyers focused more on optimisation, so they tended to swap equipment to make incremental improvements to TCO, rather than replacing dual DG sites with hybrid. Instead of investing in full hybrid solutions, telecoms operators often try to modify sites for hybrid power, adding extra deep cycle batteries. It requires less capex, but doesn’t deliver full TCO benefits.
Towerchange: Whether the customer wants diesel gensets or hybrid energy, how does SDMO offer made-to-measure power solutions tailored the specific needs of each site?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
SDMO’s engineering department will strive to accommodate all requests, regardless of energy requirements. Our expert technicians use advanced 3D modeling software with a precise structural calculation module, and techniques for analysing sound intensity and vibrational frequencies.
Each project follows a proven process; preliminary review, where the customer’s needs are analysed; costing, proposal and order validation; then the study phase involves setting up project plans, diagrams, calculations, scheduling and technical documentation; this is followed by manufacturing, testing and delivery; and finally commissioning, monitoring and maintenance.
TowerXchange: What are the advantages of SDMO’s substantial worldwide dealer network, particularly for after-sales service?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
SDMO has 187 agents worldwide. Given how long it can take to import equipment into Africa, it’s important that SDMO has two agents in many African countries, even three in Nigeria.
The telecom market is always an important part of our agent’s turnover, so our agency network has local knowledge of market requirements and distribution logistics. Many of our agents are already maintenance and refueling subcontractors to telcos and towercos - some even build telecom sites.
Having a standardised product range is an advantage because all our dealers maintain inventory and spare parts so our clients can receive equipment and maintenance service in a very short time.
Today you cannot just sell equipment if you cannot support with after sale services. Without agents on ground, we could sell a single DG in Africa. Our agents are SDMO’s front office in the field - they can commission DGs, they have stock of DGs and spare parts, but most importantly they have the local knowledge.
Once a year our agents come to our new factory with it’s dedicated dealer training centre in Brest, France to ensure they remain familiar with the latest updates to our products and our new product launches.
TowerXchange: How can tower operators maximise the lifecycle of their gensets?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
It’s important to use a reputable company, like one of our agents, to ensure installation is optimised and that maintenance operations are kept up.
It’s also critical to monitor the quality of the inputs - fuel quality, oil quality, and original spare parts quality are essential to maximising genset lifetime.
TowerXchange: How do SDMO refine your products to improve MTBF?
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
It’s important that we have close alignment between our upstream and downstream business, monitoring the whole supply chain. We listen to feedback from the field, and examine data from our fleet monitoring systems that monitor fuel levels and alarms, to customise and adapt our products to client requirements.
It’s also important that we maintain a close relationship with our engine providers - Mitsubishi, John Deere, and Volvo, and of course all their engines are tested before our equipment leaves the factory.
TowerXchange: Finally, please sum up how you would differentiate SDMO from competitive energy equipment providers.
Romain Treguer, EMEA Telecom Sales Manager, SDMO:
SDMO is a French company, and everything is produced in Europe with a commitment to quality guaranteed by an ISO 9001 certification, ensuring high-performance for all products.
We’re known for our innovation. Our outstanding R&D team are regularly securing patents for new technology developments to reduce sound levels and develop new control panels.
Finally, our extensive global dealer network in 180 countries is key to ensuring we “think globally, act locally” and deliver on-time. We leverage our purpose-built dealer training centre at our new factory in Brest to make our customer-facing dealers aware of how to sell and service our latest innovations.
