Telecom Lead Asia: Airtel has tapped solar to power its switching and routing center, which processes the voice and data traffic for the mobile operator.
The 100KWp non penetrating rooftop solar power plant at Gangaganj, Lucknow is the first of its kind in the Indian telecom industry and will save close to 26 thousand liters of diesel per year.
Airtel, India’s largest mobile operator based on both subscribers and revenue, is planning to replicate similar power plants in 6 other Core Locations generating close to 300 KWp of solar energy. The project has received 30 percent subsidy from the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).
“Technology adoptions, best in class infrastructure deployments and a customer focused approach are key enablers to provide seamless experience to the customers. We believe that our responsibility does not cease at providing superior quality to our customers,” said Jagbir Singh, director, Network Services Group, Bharti Airtel.
“At Airtel we continuously evaluate the impact of our activities on the society and environment. It is our constant endeavor to develop innovative solutions that help us drive environmental conservation. Gangaganj solar power plant is a concrete move in line with our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute towards building an inclusive society,” Singh added.
READ HERE Airtel’ Green Report on India Operations
Recently, Airtel launched its first Sustainability Report on India Operations. Along with various partners, the company has been working to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in its operations and has reported 11 percent reduction in GHG emissions per terabyte in network infrastructure in 2011-12.