Vodacom to build green innovation centre

Vodacom is to build one of Africa’s greenest commercial buildings as a base to develop new ways of using renewable energy across parent company Vodafone’s global networks.

Based in Midrand, South Africa, the innovation centre will play an important role in helping to reduce carbon emissions through the use of renewable energy, as well as batteries. The centre will also look at how to reduce the running and deployment cost of base station sites.

In developing markets such as South Africa, base stations sometimes need to be situated in remote areas with limited or no access to grid power in order to connect isolated communities. Renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines can offer an alternative to diesel generators in such off-grid sites.

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The innovation centre itself is being constructed to stringent guidelines from the Green Building Council of South Africa to significantly reduce or eliminate its impact on the environment.

Steve Pusey, Vodafone Group Chief Technology Officer said: “We want to explore how solar and wind power can help to connect isolated communities, reduce carbon emissions and reduce energy costs. As well as being a beacon for environmental construction, Vodacom’s innovation centre will help us to develop even more efficient networks.”

The innovation centre is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.