At Terralpha, every technical decision is based on a fundamental principle: meeting availability requirements while limiting our environmental impact.
At a time when digital uses are exploding and the digitisation of activities is accelerating, energy sobriety and the sustainability of infrastructures are becoming priority issues. Faced with these challenges, Terralpha is committed to building a more responsible connectivity model, by rethinking its technological choices right from the design stage of its infrastructures. This approach aims to reconcile performance, reliability and sobriety, while ensuring continuity of service throughout the country.
Rather than recreating complex solutions, Terralpha assembles existing, mature "building blocks" to design its mini-shelters, the highly secure street cabinets that house its network equipment.
This modular approach, inspired by Apple's integration model for the iPhone, makes it possible to create appropriate, efficient and scalable systems without oversizing or wasting technology. It also enables easier maintenance, better control of deployment times, and reduced costs over the entire lifecycle.
One of the main areas of energy consumption on a network site is cooling. At Terralpha, air conditioning is not a default solution but an option adapted to local needs.
Choices are made according to the climate of each region:
On average, only 20 % of the cabinets are equipped with air conditioning, which is only installed if the indicators justify it. This precise control, based on data and continuous observation of actual conditions, avoids over-consumption and protects equipment thanks to greater tolerance of temperature variations. It's an adaptive approach that demonstrates a commitment to ongoing optimisation.
Grid reliability also depends on a resilient power supply. To achieve this, Terralpha uses simple, well-known, recyclable batteries that can operate at temperatures of up to 45°C. This technological choice is the result of a desire for consistency between performance, sustainability and environmental impact.
Rather than opting for high-tech batteries that are difficult to recycle, Terralpha prefers robust solutions that take up more space but are easy to replace and well tolerated by recycling channels. This circular economy approach means that replacement cycles can be optimised while anticipating the end-of-life of materials.
A Terralpha site consumes between 400 and 800 watts on average, well below normal industry standards. All systems are designed to withstand limited heat peaks throughout the year, without compromising performance or availability.
The sites are deliberately chosen in consultation with the local authorities to take advantage of favourable environments (shaded areas, optimised orientations), which naturally reduces cooling requirements and noise pollution, and enhances the local acceptability of the facilities.
At Terralpha, we believe that simplicity is strength. Fewer components, less power consumption, less dependence on complex systems. It also means fewer breakdowns, greater maintainability and better durability.
Our approach is based on continuous iteration: each site is tested, improved and adapted. For example, version 2.2 of our mini-shelters has already seen the light of day thanks to improvements made in the field (such as the repositioning of the air intakes).
It is this global, sober and evolutionary vision that makes Terralpha a special player in the world of networks and responsible digital technology. A vision that places efficiency, sustainability and intelligent use at the heart of tomorrow's digital infrastructure.
