Solar Photovoltaic System to Feed a Radio Link of Unusual Length

Telettra, a private company of the FIAT group operating in telecommunications, designed and is about to finish the installation of a high capacity, line-of-sight radio link over the Red Sea, i.e. between Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The study, design and construction of long over-sea´s microwave links have been a traditional part of Telettra´s activity for the last 25 years. The design in question is based upon original Telettra technologies and has been given preference to over other solutions such as undersea´s cables or troposcattering radio links by its advantages such as functionality, reliability and cost. An outstanding feature is formed by photovoltaic generators used to feed the repeater stations situated in mountainous zones at a height of more than twothousand meters. As far as we know these solar generators are the most powerful ones so far used to feed a telecommunication system. After a short introduction to the link this paper describes the main characteristics of the plant and the design data of the photovoltaic system.