02 November 2022

Vodacom South Africa’s Midrand campus is being equipped with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels as part of a sustainable strategy around energy management. The solution will allow Vodacom’s headquarters to generate around 10.8GWh of its own clean power every year, around 21% of the HQ’s power consumption, reducing its reliance on coal-generated electricity from the national grid.

“Everything we do is driven by our purpose to shape a digital society that is not only inclusive but sustainable, too. Reducing our environmental impact is woven into this purpose. That’s why we’ve committed to halving our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2025 while carrying out our important work of connecting all citizens for a better future,” said Sitho Mdlalose, managing director, Vodacom South Africa. “Vodacom South Africa is fully committed to our country’s sustainability journey. We’re doing our part to support government in its transition to a low-carbon economy under the Paris Agreement, which calls for countries to reduce GHG emissions to keep global temperatures in check, continues Mdlalose.”

The solar system should be completed by March 2023. Phase one of the installation will deliver an energy generating capacity of 2MWp, increasing to 6.5MWp after phase two and three of the project rollout across the rest of the campus.

Since electricity consumption is the main source of Vodacom’s GHG emissions, the amount of power generated through the Midrand project will help Vodacom reduce its GHG emissions by around 11,448mt CO2e. The operator also has other plans underway to pursue more initiatives like these across its operating footprint. Vodacom South Africa will continue to prioritise energy efficient practices, such as consumption monitoring through its Internet of Things (IoT) technology. It will also increase the amount of energy it secures from independent power producers through various power purchase agreements.

“These measures will boost our energy security so we can continue to deliver top-quality connectivity to our customers while helping drive sustainability targets that tackle climate change. If South Africa is to fulfil its decarbonisation goals, businesses must lead by example,” said Mdlalose.