From “CleanUpWireless” to “SayNotoDiesel” – as of MWC19 the Telecom Industry is Committed to Clean, Green Power

Without large headlines or loud campaigns, the telecom industry is coming to MWC19 with strong commitment and proven progress of the industry’s transition to renewable energy and reduced carbon footprint. GenCell Energy salutes telecom providers on their dedication to the environment and calls on all telecom and tower operators around the globe to join the cause and “Say No to Diesel” to end carbon emissions from diesel generators powering off-grid and poor grid towers.

According to a Mobile World Live (MWL) post published just before MWC19, telecom operators across the globe are going green to achieve environmental as well as business objectives. The huge energy demand that 5G poses is pushing operators to proactively reduce energy costs, and one good way to do so is by taking advantage of the lower and more stable prices offered by renewable energy sources. The move to renewables not only brings the telcos good press and public support, but also significant financial savings on energy.

Some examples of telecom industry efforts to go green include T-Mobile’s highly promoted campaign to source 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2021, which won T-Mobile recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Resource Solutions as an industry leader and innovator for green power. The same MWL post quotes T-Mobile saying it expects to save $100 million over the next 15 years thanks to its move to renewable energy. Following pressure from competition as well as from consumers and lobbyists, in December 2018 U.S. telecom leader Verizon set a renewable energy target of 50% by 2025; Verizon will add 24 megawatts (MW) of green energy into its operations by that date.

Beyond purchasing large volumes of wind energy, AT&T also set up its 10x Carbon Reduction program which deploys technologies that help the company and its customers to enable carbon savings as to the power of 10x the footprint of AT&T’s operations. U.K.-based Vodafone Group PLC joined the RE100 initiative and committed to purchase 100% of the electricity it uses from renewable sources by 2025. To reach this goal, Vodafone will not only sign RE power purchase agreements, but also will develop on-site renewable systems across its technology centers and base station sites and purchase renewable energy certificates.

Earlier this month, Telefónica signed a second contract for the supply of 345GWh of renewable power which is to supply 72 points in large-scale data processing facilities, offices and other company sites, and is expected to reduce 107,000t of carbon emissions. Sweden-based Tele2 not only seeks to source electricity from renewables, but according to a recent company blog post, through its subsidiary Tele2IoT, Tele2 promotes IoT connectivity at all levels as a key enabler of carbon-free energy systems. Other similar initiatives include France Telecom who has set a goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 20% compared to 2006 and British Telecom setting a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80% compared to 1996.

As a supplier both of telecom as well as renewable energy solutions, of course leading ICT solution provider Huawei is dedicated to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in the ICT industry. According to the Huawei Global Industry Vision report, by 2025 the average annual carbon emissions per connection in the global ICT industry are expected to fall to 15 kg, down by 80% from 75 kg in 2015. Huawei has deployed its award-winning Green Energy Solution in more than 170 countries around the world and helped more than 100 operators to achieve green practices.

GenCell Energy is extremely proud to have been nominated by the GSMA alongside Huawei and Telefonica for the 2019 GloMo Green Mobile Award for our innovative A5 off-grid energy solution which extracts hydrogen on demand to generate clean, reliable and af/fordable fuel cell energy to power off-grid and poor grid telecom towers. We are on-hand at MWC19 to rally the industry to support our “SayNotoDiesel” campaign. To learn more about the A5, as well as about our clean reliable backup solutions for telecom needs everywhere, visit us at www.gencellenergy.com or stop by our MWC meeting room in Hall 2- 2C74MR to get a free TCO energy evaluation or just to have a coffee and meet the GenCell team.

If you are you a telecom provider committed to Renewable Energy and you'd like us to share your story here as well, please let us know and we will gladly add details about your efforts to this post. We welcome you all to #SayNotoDiesel. #FuelCells