Greentech Lead India: More than 70,000 mobile customers
in India have joined a public campaign to phase out diesel from telecom sector
by sending SMS and faxes asking Sunil Mittal, CEO of Bharti Airtel, to go clean
by making public commitment for implementation of Green Telecom directive
issued by Government of India, Greenpeace says.
Greenpeace recently released a report, “Enabling Clean talking”
that outlines the roadmap for complete diesel elimination from the Indian
telecom sector by the year 2020 through progressive action of massive renewable
energy deployment and enhanced energy efficiency measures in its telecom
network infrastructure.
The report refers to the green telecom directive issued
by Government of India and also provides advanced roadmap for substantial
financial saving for the sector by switching to renewable energy.
The report finds that if the telecom sector aims for complete
diesel elimination by the year 2020 across its all network towers, it can save
on energy expenditure to the tune of INR 80,000 crore with net investment
benefits of INR 13,000 crore in the next 8 years. The report is being
widely accepted by all stakeholders including the telecom operators.
“There is the writing on the wall: use of diesel is
making telecom operation in the country economically unsustainable due to
spiralling rise of fuel prices. The shift of the telecom sector towards a
sustainable and cleaner source of energy while developing efficient and
intelligent network infrastructure could set a precedent for profitable
low-carbon business model in the country. The need of the hour is a
decisive action from Mr. Sunil Mittal, the chairman of the largest telecom
operator in the country.” said Mrinmoy Chattaraj, Climate and Energy
campaigner, Greenpeace India.
Recently, Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association
(TAIPA) had announced its intention for deployment of renewable energy
technologies in 500 towers on pilot basis. This was a part of its commitment
for powering 100,000 towers by the end of 2013 through renewable energy.
However, there is little action seen from the telecom
sector lead by Bharti Airtel in disclosing carbon emission for their entire
business operation and supporting the initiative for roll out of renewable
energy technologies in network towers at significant scale as mandated by green
telecom directive.
The second deadline for carbon emission disclosure by
telecom operators under the directive is fast approaching and there is not much
action seen on ground meet this deadline. There is a fear of non-compliance of
the directive once again by the telecom operators and therefore, a decisive
action from Bharti Airtel and its chairman as demanded by mobile consumers
across the country is critical.
Bharti group is at the forefront of the wireless network
distribution and has a high potential to tap the opportunity in energy-scarce
emerging market of the world.
Since the launch of the “Switch off Diesel” campaign by
Greenpeace in May-2011, cumulatively over 2 lakh people are demanding Bharti
Airtel to champion the cause with commitment to:
· Disclose the carbon emission of its entire
operations including network infrastructure supply chain and set ambitious
emission reduction target with objective of complete diesel elimination by the
year 2020
· Encourage the tower companies to move
away from expensive & dirty diesel to cleaner source of energy and work
towards a roadmap for the implementation of green telecom directive by 2020
· Make long term investment plans for
the co-development of renewable energy source for the telecom tower
infrastructure and lead the low carbon race
“It is well understood that decoupling the growth from
rising carbon emission is paramount for ensuring economic and environmental
sustainability. The only concern is, we should not act when it’s too late,”
said Chattaraj.