SoftBank Group is piloting AI-controlled cellular base stations powered by solar panels and a 3 kW wind turbine to reduce energy use while maintaining service quality. The system stores excess power in batteries and can automatically switch to the grid when needed.
Japanese investment holding company Softbank Group is testing a new type of cellular base station that generates a significant portion of its electricity from solar and wind sources.
The pilot system is installed at one of the company’s facilities in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to dynamically manage the station’s “sleep” mode, reducing power consumption during periods of low communication traffic while maintaining service quality.
The installation combines conventional solar panels with a 3 kW lens wind turbine. The turbine features a diffuser that efficiently collects and accelerates wind, enabling high power output even at low speeds of around 3 m/s. According to SoftBank, the system’s compact design makes it also suitable for deployment in remote islands and mountainous regions.
Power generated by the system is stored in batteries, which supply the base station when generation is low. If battery levels drop below a preset threshold, the station automatically switches to the commercial grid to ensure uninterrupted operation.
“By analyzing human flow and communication traffic with AI, we evaluate target cells while maintaining communication quality,” SoftBank said in a statement. “Sleep control of the base station is performed on the premise that traffic in the target cell is handled by surrounding stations without causing congestion.”
Previously, stable service during sleep mode required that surrounding base stations be in the same building and oriented in the same direction, with strict conditions to determine target cells. SoftBank said AI analysis now allows for a broader selection of cells without compromising communication quality. The company expects this to expand the number of sleep-mode target cells from roughly 14,000 to about 24,000.
SoftBank plans to expand testing of the wind- and solar-powered base stations in the coming months.
Recently, it announced a new four-year project focused on high-energy density battery technology and high-efficiency solar cells for long-duration high altitude platform station (HAPS) aircraft.
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