Vodafone – Leveraging Technology to Achieve Net Zero in its Operations  

Vodafone is committed minimising the impact that its business operations have on the environment and to achieve net zero across its operations by 2028 in Europe and by 2035 in Africa. The biggest driver of Vodafone’s operational emissions is the burning of fossil fuels to generate the energy needed to run Vodafone’s networks. To reduce these emissions, Vodafone’s technology team is investing in new technologies to make its networks smarter, efficient and flexible.  

RAN hardware innovation and site modernisation are key components of Vodafone’s energy efficiency strategy. By working with vendors, Vodafone developed a software that uses the “0 bit – 0 Watt” concept, cutting energy usage in idle or low traffic mode up to 90%, resulting in around 11Gwh saving in 23-24 through sleep mode and symbol optimisation. The adoption of new Kits just standardised will increase energy efficiency further, potentially up to 30%.  

In particular, AI is playing a crucial role in various initiatives aimed at optimising energy consumption, reducing costs, and enhancing operational efficiency:  

• Vodafone integrated AI in its energy data management system for the detection/replacement of missing data, anomaly detection, tracking site changes, and statistical modelling to support energy savings. The system manages energy consumption data from 123,000 smart meters across over 51,000 sites in 12 European markets.  
• Vodafone introduced AI to track active energy consumption and savings from RAN software features, aiding business teams in validating implementations and making decisions on feature activation, network degradation, and cost savings. 

• Vodafone piloted AI-powered batteries in Czech Republic, resulting in optimised backups, supporting grid balancing and advancing telco-smart grid integration and infrastructure optimisation. 

• Vodafone piloted an AI powered system with real-time traffic and power demand data to manage energy during blackouts, extending connectivity without extra batteries. Tested in Athens, it increased battery operation by over 60% under low loads and 100% under heavy loads. 

• Vodafone utilised dynamic network management techniques (SON/SMO rApps) to adjust network resources based on real-time demand, ensuring that energy is not wasted on underutilised infrastructure. For example, the implementation of dynamic thermal management systems, which adjust cooling based on real-time data, has reduced the average PUE in the EU region to 1.5. This achievement is particularly significant given the age of Core Telco facilities. 

These innovative solutions have helped Vodafone to optimise its networks’ energy use and progress towards a better informed and more sustainable network management system. Vodafone seeks to continue identifying and exploring innovative solutions aligned with its strategic goals.