Which Energy Source Is Most Efficient For Cell Tower Generators?

With hurricane season in full swing, there’s always discussion about what will happen if there are major power outages during a particularly bad storm. There are different options for generators such as diesel, propane, battery powered, and fuel cells.

Energy.gov reported that, “While many of the diesel, propane and battery cell phone tower backup generators were affected by the storm, all of the cell towers powered by fuel cells ran without any issues -- allowing many disaster victims to continue accessing their cell phone network.”

There can be certain issues with diesel generators, because during a storm diesel fuel can be hard to come by. However, fuel cells proved to be very useful during Hurricane Sandy. They provided backup power for many cell towers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. “Another important advantage of fuel cells is the ability for remote monitoring and control, ensuring standby readiness and quick response, which can be critical,” Energy.gov explained.