Released on = April 12, 2007, 2:56 am

Press Release Author = Shushmul Maheshwari

Industry = Energy

Press Release Summary = Use of Biofuels is no more limited to vehicles only. Now the
mobile phone operators are embracing Biofuels to power base stations in rural India
to expand coverage areas.

Press Release Body = The use of mobile phones is burgeoning in India. However, this
is not true for every Indian city as outside the chief cities, mobile coverage is
dispersed, as there is not even dependable amount of electricity in most of the
parts.

A major part of India comes under rural segment. This rural India is either devoid
of electricity connections or has a shortage of power supply that is likely to ruin
the coverage expansion plans of mobile operators in rural India.

Power accessibility in rural India is unfortunate. But by converting the energy of
organic matter into Biofuel, communities in rural areas could market it to mobile
companies that can use it to power their base stations, which receive and beam
wireless signals.

Currently, two experimental schemes are in progress in Nigeria, Lagos, and Pune in
India in attempt to power Global System for Mobile Communication networks with
Biofuel. Globally, over two billion people use GSM, a digital-standard for cell
phones.

GSM Association (GSMA), a development fund, along with mobile operators Idea
Cellular and Ericsson sare now testing a mobile phone base station powered by
Biodiesel.

“Apart from our desire to expand our coverage, Biofuel produces economic
empowerment, because lack of connectivity is directly related to economic
impoverishment,\" stated Prashanth Donepudi, Project Manager for Nigerian GSM
Association Development Fund, in a statement reported on February 16, 2007 by
scidev.net.

Project’s first phase examines the viability of non-edible plant based fuels,
like Jatropha and cotton, is near completion. In the next trial stage, a supply
chain will be established which will use home-grown crops for producing Biodiesel to
supply power to 5 to 10 mobile phone base-stations in Maharashtra, India.

If the experimental project is successful, GSMA aims to take this program to other
regions of India with Idea.

According to the RNCOS report “Indian Power Sector (2006)”, the Indian
government is encouraging foreign players to establish power generation projects
solely based on renewable energy on Build-Own-Operate basis.

The market research report paints the complete picture of the Indian power sector
and gives a detailed analysis of various parameters like power generation and
consumption, infrastructure (with account on power plants like NTPC, National
Hydroelectric Power Corporation, GMR Energy Ltd, etc), power transmission, and
distribution (with role of private players like Reliance Energy and Tata Power). The
report also discusses the drivers, opportunities, challenge, and the regulatory
framework. The future outlook of the sector has been discussed in detail for
investors.

About RNCOS E-Services Pvt Ltd.:

RNCOS, incorporated in the year 2002, is an industry research firm. It has a team of
industry experts who analyze data collected from credible sources. They provide
industry insights and analysis that helps corporations to take timely and accurate
business decision in today\'s globally competitive environment.

For more information visit: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM041.htm
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Contact Details = RNCOS E-Services Pvt Ltd.
Shushmul Maheshwari
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