NREL + Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are working to develop and validate a new design solution for telecommunications facilities. Network equipment is all DC, so rather than relying on conventional AC power, the design will employ photovoltaics (PV) and batteries, and it will require new DC cooling systems. The new design will ease utility interconnection by connecting PV to the DC bus and batteries, increase resiliency by allowing PV to contribute - and cooling to continue - in a power outage, lower costs with day-to-day utility cost savings, and increase efficiency through reduced part count and fewer power conversions from DC to AC.