The solar array installation forms part of the mobile service provider’s ongoing drive to help reduce the amount of energy the company consumes.
Maya Makanjee, Vodacom’s chief officer of corporate affairs, said: “Vodacom recently became a voluntary signatory to the Energy Efficiency Leadership Network which aims to help improve energy efficiency in South Africa.
“Through this particular project Vodacom aims to demonstrate that business can take the lead in promoting renewable energy solutions, thereby stimulating the green economy. This commitment complements our existing environmental and sustainability efforts to reduce carbon emissions within the organisation by 5 per cent per annum until 2014.”
Up to 75 per cent of the building's electricity requirement during peak production is expected to be provided by the solar array.
The company says that to date it has managed to reduce the energy inputs per base station across the Vodacom Group by retrofitting them with free cooling.
“Through this initiative and other innovative energy saving projects, Vodacom intends taking the lead in trying to reduce dependency on conventional energy sources, and it is our hope that other companies follow suit. We also want our customers to learn from our example and to become more aware of their own carbon footprint,” said Makanjee.
