EverExceed has drawn on a long field experience in supplying batteries for
telecom applications to identify Five Golden Rules for a TCO analysis that will result in a fully informed smart decision. These five golden rules will be discussed in this forum in a weekly series. To continue this series today we are going to describe rule number 2.
Rule 2: Identify areas where you can make saving
Reviewing the project stages listed under Rule 1, and then what improvements can you make to reduce spending? Essentially, achieving the optimum TCO requires the precision ‘meshing’ of two key drivers – Performance and Sizing.
Achieving the optimum TCO requires the precision meshing of performance and sizing
Performance calculation and modeling – what if?
Cost savings can be achieved by establishing a complete and accurate assessment of all components and energy sources for the entire system. This should include renewable, where available. Potential derating of gensets should also be considered. For example, a genset that delivers 50 kW at ground level might only provide 35 kW at high altitude.
• Modeling and simulations will help to compare solutions such as
lead-acid versus
Li-ion.
• Aging modeling will help to estimate the battery life in the field such as
Ni-Cd versus lead-acid.
• Layout modeling will help to integrate the battery into an existing or new site by taking into account key mechanical aspects such as footprint and weight.
Sizing
Sizing means ensuring that the battery is specified correctly to meet the duty required by its specific application. An under-sized battery will not function correctly and could fail prematurely.
An over-sized battery is a waste of money. Cost savings can be achieved at the sizing stages by knowing the exact location of the site and the key operating parameters such as temperature, loads and charge/discharge current – and if the site also has renewable energy available.
It is important to work with battery manufacturers experienced in telecoms applications as they will provide vital help and guidance in ensuring that the battery is sized correctly to meet the performance and lifetime needs of the asset owners.
Ultimately, the comparison between one battery and technology versus another will rely on factors such as:
• cost of shipping
• cost of man hours
• cost of fuel
• cost of HVAC power
• cost of down time
These factors will differ significantly and therefore have a major impact on the capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) elements of the overall TCO analysis.
If you need to discuss more about the planning, purchasing, installation, operation and replacement of your telecommunication batteries, feel free to communicate with EverExceed experts. We are always here to support you!
