As Europe strides boldly into a new era of sustainability, the telecom B2B sector is not just keeping pace; it’s setting the pace in the renewable energy revolution. This transformation is more than just a vision or surface-level color; it’s becoming a reality as telecom giants across the continent harness the power of renewable energy to reshape their operations and redefine industry standards.
“Green power” is enabling telecom giants to converge technology and sustainability to create a greener world with the help of wind, sun and water.
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Europe’s Telecom Giants Lead the Green Charge
Major European telecom operators are making significant investments in renewable energy in a daring move towards sustainability. This shift is not merely a response to environmental pressures but a strategic initiative capable of enhancing efficiency and leadership across the sector.
In alignment with this movement, Deutsche Telekom is planning to transition its operations to 100% renewable energy by 2025. This vision is grounded in a comprehensive strategy involving substantial investments in wind and solar power, powered by several high-impact projects, including developing large-scale solar farms and wind turbines across Europe. The company aims to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and significantly lower its carbon footprint by integrating these renewable sources into its energy mix. This includes upgrading infrastructure and implementing advanced cooling solutions in its data centers to minimize energy consumption.
Similarly, Vodafone has set a target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, leveraging long-term renewable energy contracts and integrating cutting-edge green technologies to meet its goals. A vital element of the company’s approach is its power purchase agreements (PPAs) with renewable energy providers. Recently, it expanded its renewable energy efforts with Iberdrola, a global leader in the renewable energy sector headquartered in Spain. Iberdrola will supply clean solar energy to Vodafone’s operations in Spain, Portugal, and Germany, delivering 410 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable energy annually—enough to power around 117,000 homes. In addition, Iberdrola has installed over 140 electric vehicle charging points at Vodafone’s Spanish facilities, and has committed to the ongoing management and optimization of these services.
Ironically, Orange should consider changing its name to “Green”, given the actions the entity has taken to join the eco-friendly revolution. The company has entered into multiple power purchase agreements (PPAs) with solar and wind energy providers, ensuring a consistent and sustainable energy supply, similar to Vodafone. These agreements reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stabilize energy costs, providing long-term economic benefits.
In addition to procuring renewable energy, Orange is heavily investing in innovative technologies to optimize its energy usage. The company is implementing advanced cooling solutions in its data centers, leveraging liquid and free cooling techniques to reduce energy consumption. It’s also focusing on innovative grid technologies and energy-efficient infrastructure.
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Green Pioneers Need Green Grounding
Data centers, the backbone of telecom operations, are transforming significantly as companies adopt green technologies. This sustainability focus is making a substantial dent in their environmental impact. European Union regulations, such as the European Green Deal and the Climate Law, are pivotal in this transition, compelling data centers to embrace more eco-friendly practices and significantly reduce their environmental impact.
As the EU barrels towards its ambitious goal of achieving climate neutrality for data centers by 2030, there has been a substantial investment in green technologies, revolutionizing data centers’ operations and bolstering their efficiency and sustainability.
Furthermore, artificial intelligence is becoming a transformative force in enhancing energy efficiency within the telecom sector. AI technologies are proving to be invaluable by optimizing network performance and reducing energy consumption.
Orange Business has unveiled two cutting-edge GenAI solutions designed to propel businesses of all sizes along their digital transformation journey. These advanced solutions, powered by high-bandwidth servers and GPUs, are hosted in Orange’s state-of-the-art data centers in France on the fortified Cloud Avenue platform and are managed by Orange Business. This configuration ensures absolute control over data and costs, making it ideal for large-scale deployments.
In collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), a pioneer in hybrid cloud solutions and a critical strategic partner, Orange Business has leveraged HPE GreenLake to provide a robust and reliable hardware infrastructure, setting a new standard for digital innovation and efficiency.
As telecom companies ramp up their green initiatives, securing green certifications has become a key priority, underscoring the industry’s commitment to sustainability. Certifications like ISO 50001 for energy management are helping companies validate their sustainability efforts and demonstrate their commitment to green practices.
Orange is also actively pursuing green certifications to solidify its role as an environmental stewardship leader, ensuring its sustainability initiatives meet rigorous global standards. Alongside Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom, which have achieved ISO 50001 certification, Orange is setting benchmarks for the industry and exemplifying a steadfast commitment to green practices.
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Voices of the Green Backed by Implementation
Bobbie Mellor, Head of Sustainability at Vodafone, emphasizes, “Sustainability is such a cooperative sector to work in. 10 years ago it was a choice; now it’s part of core business strategy—that’s why there is such an interlock between sustainability and other teams in the organization.”
Melanie Kubin-Hardewig, Vice President, Group Corporate Responsibility at Deutsche Telekom, also highlighted the importance of committing to a green policy, “We do have a common strategy, and I think this is where it starts. We took last year, for example, to revisit that situation, our strategy, and make sure that we have a very well-balanced Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy.”
The European Commission has established ambitious climate targets to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The European telecom sector is considered to be the face of the green movement, as it now sources at least 80% of its energy from renewables. European telecom companies are also setting ambitious targets to reduce their carbon emissions. Additionally, numerous examples of new data centers have been designed to be carbon neutral, featuring integrated solutions such as dedicated in-built renewable energy plants.
Telecom Italia held a press conference in Milan to announce the expansion of its green network. The company plans to increase its renewable energy use to 80% by 2026, with substantial investments in solar and wind energy projects. This ambitious goal demonstrates Telecom Italia’s commitment to a sustainable future and its proactive approach to reducing environmental impact.
Moreover, Stockholm witnessed Ericsson launching its annual sustainability report, detailing the company’s progress towards its green goals. The report highlighted Ericsson’s success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing its use of renewable energy.
As leading operators set ambitious goals, invest in green technologies, and drive innovation, they set a powerful example of how the telecom sector can lead the charge in the green revolution. The collective efforts of these companies demonstrate the industry’s dedication to creating a sustainable future and the significant strides made towards achieving these goals.
The shift towards renewable energy within Europe’s telecom B2B sector is more than a trend; it represents a fundamental transformation towards sustainability and efficiency.
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