Over 58 percent of Bharti Airtel's network sites are now tagged as green sites. This means that more than half of Airtel's network sites are powered by renewable energy sources or designed to be energy-efficient, thereby reducing their environmental impact. "Despite the addition of over 75,000 network sites in the last two years, our diesel consumption at towers saw a reduction of over 2 million litres per month," Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bharti Airtel Limited, said during the Q2FY25 earnings call.
Also Read: Airtel Solarises Over 3,500 Mobile Sites in Q2
Airtel's War on Waste Strategy
This initiative, which represents Airtel's fifth and final strategy pillar, 'War on Waste,' is central to the operator's operations. Airtel emphasised that it fosters a culture that prioritises efficiency without compromising service quality. As part of this strategy, Airtel saved over Rs 50 billion on network operating expenses (OPEX) in the last two years.
Airtel 5G Plus
As reported earlier, Airtel solarised over 3,500 sites in the quarter and approximately 24,800 sites over the last five quarters. In previous statements, Airtel noted that its 5G Plus network would also be environmentally friendly, thanks to a specialised power reduction solution. These efforts align with Airtel's broader sustainability initiatives.
Also Read: Airtel Introduces Recycled PVC SIM Cards in Collaboration With IDEMIA
Green Initiatives
From commissioning solar power units and investing in solar energy to power its network infrastructure, to introducing recycled PVC SIM cards in February 2024 and launching the "Green 5G" initiative to enhance energy efficiency in partnership with Nokia in October 2024, Airtel is working to reduce its carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency across its mobile networks.
Also Read: Bharti Airtel Launches Green 5G Initiative to Enhance Energy Efficiency
The Green 5G initiative aims to enhance the energy efficiency of Airtel's 4G and 5G networks while significantly reducing carbon emissions. Under this initiative, Airtel is targeting "zero-traffic, zero-watt" operation, which means reducing the power consumption of its radio networks to minimal levels during periods of no traffic, thereby conserving energy and optimising power management.
Nxtra’s Contribution to Sustainability
While these efforts focus on Airtel's networks, Nxtra, Airtel's data center unit, has its own sustainable initiatives aimed at reducing emissions. According to the 2024 sustainability report, Nxtra boosted its renewable energy use by 41 percent.
Also Read: Nxtra by Airtel Boosts Renewable Energy Use by 41 Percent
Towards a Greener Future
With all these combined initiatives, using high-speed connectivity and staying connected on the Airtel network means contributing to its sustainability efforts.
