One of the world’s largest international telecoms companies, UK-headed Vodafone Group Plc has joined RE100 with a commitment to purchase 100 percent of the electricity it uses from renewable sources by 2025. Furthermore, it has committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its own network operations by 40 percent also by 2025.
Launched at Climate Week 2014, RE100 brings together the world’s most influential companies committed to 100 percent renewable electricity with the aim of scaling up demand for – and delivery of – renewable power.
Led by The Climate Group, a UK-headed international not-for-profit organisation that aims to accelerate climate action to reach “a world of under 2°C of global warming and greater prosperity for all” in partnership with CDP, a UK-headed not-for-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts.
Vodafone’s operations are currently powered by 13 percent renewable electricity, meaning its target to source 100 percent by 2025 will require a significant shift in the use of clean energy. To reach its goal, the company will look to sign power-purchase agreements (PPA’s) which will support the growth of renewable energy markets across the globe.
Like other RE100 members, we intend to meet our 100% renewable electricity target by 2025 through a combination of approaches. We will look to sign PPAs with developers and suppliers of renewable energy assets and will purchase renewable electricity backed by renewable energy certificates (RECs). RECs enable companies to match their use of conventional power with an equivalent amount of renewable energy generated. We are also looking to further develop our on-site renewable sources, primarily by installing solar power-based systems across base station sites and technology centres, where technically and economically feasible, commented Joakim Reiter, Group External Affairs Director of Vodafone in a blog post on June 1.
Beyond this, Vodafone aims to develop on-site renewable systems across its technology centres and base station sites and purchase renewable energy certificates.
I’m delighted to welcome Vodafone Group to RE100. Setting a target to source 100% renewable power by 2025 demonstrates real leadership and a commitment to be a driving force in the clean energy transition, said Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, The Climate Group.
An integrated approach to energy
According to a blog post on June 1, sourcing renewables as part of RE100 is one of several things Vodafone is doing to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To meet a commitment to reduce emissions by 40 percent compared to 2017 from its own network operations by 2025, the company is focusing on incorporating energy efficiency into new network designs while also bringing intelligent interconnection of its networks to facilitate reduced energy consumption for its customers.
Back in 2015, we made ‘Energy innovation’ one of our three core global transformation areas, with a focus on increasing our energy efficiency – as we rely on on-grid electricity for much of our energy needs, with most of this still generated by burning fossil fuels – and enabling businesses to reduce their energy use and costs. Today, we are strengthening that commitment by launching two new targets for 2025 – commitments to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 40% and to purchase 100% of our electricity from renewable sources, said Reiter.
