The wind-powered masts will be trialled later in 2021 and could become a part of the Shared Rural Network and help Vodafone meet its net zero targets in the UK.
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Vodafone has developed self-powered mobile towers and will deploy these across the UK, supporting the company’s target of achieving net zero for its UK operations by 2027.
The Eco-Towers will also enable the deployment of new mobile sites in the most remote locations.
Vodafone, alongside network partner Cornerstone, will now run a proof of concept to install Crossflow Turbine technology on rural mobile sites.
Vodafone is committed to working with industry partners to expand mobile coverage to reach 95% of the UK landmass by 2025 and achieving net zero for its UK operations by 2027. Adoption of innovative technologies like the self-powered site are essential to meeting both of these bold ambitions.
As well as reducing Vodafone’s energy consumption, self-powered sites remove the need to connect to the electricity grid, overcoming what can be an insurmountable civil engineering challenge when building new sites in the most rural parts of the UK.
Further benefits of the Eco-Towers include:
Using locally-generated renewable power reduces the environmental impact of the site.
Increased renewable contribution from the combination of wind and solar, together with battery storage systems on-site, removes reliance on diesel generators for back-up power.
Quiet, bird-friendly turbine makes the Eco-Tower viable for the most sensitive of sites, including Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The security of the power supply is improved as the on-site power generation is independent from the electricity grid.
Vodafone UK will reach net zero operations by 2027. ■
Predominant upper-level ridging stretching from the Southwest to the southern High Plains will allow for another day of record-breaking heat across parts of Nevada and Arizona today.