As part of its efforts to create 'green' mobile network and reduce carbon footprint, Bharti Airtel today said it aims to completely stop the constant use of diesel to power its network in Africa by 2013.
Over the last one year, the telecom giant has reduced the number of telecom sites running solely on diesel by more than 50% through use of models like Hybrid Battery Bank, Bharti Airtel said in a statement.
Hybrid Battery Banks collect the excess energy produced by the diesel powered generator in a battery that powers the site once the generator is switched off. These have helped reduce the use of diesel by up to 14 hours a day, it added.
"By 2013, the company aims to completely eradicate the constant use of diesel to power its network. This means no telecom site of the company will rely solely on diesel power 24 hours a day," the company added.
The telecom major provides services in Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, Niger, Ghana, Kenya and Malawi among others.
Close to 60% of Bharti Airtel's telecom sites in Africa are now powered using the Hybrid model resulting in major reduction in emissions and also operating costs for the company, it said adding that the company now aims to raise this to over 70% by end of 2013.
Bharti Airtel is also working on the use of solar and wind energy to power its telecom sites.
"Our first priority is to reduce the number of sites that are completely reliant on diesel generators. We are doing this by connecting these sites to grid electricity in areas where this option is feasible. Where it is not, we are exploring alternative forms of power supply, which include Hybrid Battery Banks and solar/wind power," Bharti Airtel Chief Technical Officer Eben Albertyn said.
Over the last two months, 105 solar sites have already been set up in Niger reducing the use of diesel generators from 24 hours a day to 3-4 hours, it said.
