As an environmentally aware business, Vodafone Egypt has set out to address global environmental issues that face our fragile eco-system. Becoming more energy efficient is one of the most vital aspects of increasing environmental sustainability and curbing the trend of climate change. Using renewable energy is a key method of being more energy efficient, which is why Vodafone has taken measures to use the most abundant renewable energy source in Egypt - sunlight.
Vodafone Egypt started using solar energy to power remote and off grid sites in 2001, to help us improve our environmental performance and decrease our overall carbon emissions. In this regard we have achieved:
Vodafone Egypt has also implemented several initiatives in the network, offices and retail stores to improve energy efficiency. This is aligned with the Group commitment for Egypt to “reduce CO2 per network node by 20% against a 2010/11 baseline by March 2015 for emerging markets”. Using renewable energy is a key method of being more energy efficient, which is why Vodafone has taken measures to use the most abundant renewable energy source in Egypt - sunlight.
The initiatives implemented on our network include using more efficient BTS or Single RANs (combined 2G & 3G) in new base stations and upgrades, increasing the room temperature setting so ACs switch on at higher temperatures, as well as implementing free cooling in 675 base station sites (March 2013). Free cooling uses fresh air to reduce the need for air conditioning. All these initiatives contributed to a 23% reduction in grid power consumption by the access network between 2009 and 2013.
Energy saving initiatives implemented in our offices resulted in a significant reduction in power consumption between 2011 & 2012. These initiatives included installing LED lighting inside our premises, motion sensors in meeting rooms, free cooling systems for our Head Quarter & Zahraa El Maadi building switch areas and new lower power consumption air conditioning units CCU for technical areas.