Vodafone India has about 70 million off-grid customers. Now it is taking its phone base stations off-grid at an impressive rate.
It recently announced a partnership with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in India, a non-profit, scientific and policy research organization, working in the fields of energy, environment and a whole range of sustainable initiatives.
Under the partnership, Vodafone and TERI will further embed and promote sustainability in Vodafone India’s operations. Vodafone said environment care will be one of its key initiatives along with social empowerment and education in rural areas, regions where most of the company’s 150 million customers live.
Vodafone reduced its physical server footprint 20 percent in 2013 and reduced energy consumption of base stations as it eliminated fan filters at 1,500 base stations in favor of natural air circulation, switching off air conditioners.
Some 2,700 sites have hybrid electricity solutions, which has reduced diesel consumption by 54 percent and 342 sites are now powered by variable speed diesel generators.
Some 250 off-grid sites have solar systems, 493 indoor base stations sport inverters, and fuel catalysts are deployed at 1,800 sites.
