India's telcos are taking steps toward environmental sustainability, but they have a long way to go. Reliance Jio, which already claims to have 16,000 sites running off solar power, has an ambitious target to be "net zero" on emissions by 2035, while Bharti Airtel's goal is aligned with the GSM Association's deadline for the entire industry to be net zero by 2050. Yet Vodafone Idea (VI) has still not announced any date.

Airtel's plan is to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 50% and Scope 3 emissions by 42% by the end of the 2031 financial year. The first two categories represent the direct emissions generated by telco operations and purchased energy, while Scope 3 accounts for indirect emissions, including the supply chain. Because it depends on suppliers and partners lowering their own emissions, it is far more challenging. Data from Omdia, a Light Reading sister company, also points to a significant increase in operational emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) at Airtel between 2018 and 2021.

While Vodafone Idea has yet to announce a net-zero target, it has taken steps to bring down carbon emissions, including reducing energy consumption by outdoor basestations. Among other measures, it has eliminated the use of diesel at 16,000 sites. India's third-largest service provider claims to be running 2,000 sites off solar power.

Figure 1: India's telcos don't score brilliantly on green.
(Source: robertharding/Alamy Stock Photo)

Telcos in developing economies, like India, are under immense pressure to bring down their energy costs, which can represent as much as 40% of their operating expenditure. Given the huge scale of operations at Indian telcos, even a small reduction in opex could result in massive savings.

Much like their global counterparts, the Indian telcos have adopted a multi-pronged approach with initiatives to enhance energy efficiency, adopt renewable energy and improve waste management.

Regulatory efforts

On the regulatory front, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) started talking about sustainable strategies way back in 2011. It introduced the concept of green telecom networks to minimize energy consumption through energy-efficient technology, renewable energy sources and eco-friendly practices. One recommendation was that all rural towers and 50% of urban towers should be hybrid-powered by 2020. That target, however, was missed.

TRAI followed this with a consultation paper on the "approach towards sustainable telecommunications" to promote sustainable practices in the Indian telecom industry. It also directed the National Long Distance Service Providers to declare the carbon footprint of their network operations in 2020.

Another notable initiative was the Telecommunication Engineering Center's establishment of a Green Passport Lab for the standardization of test procedures and certification of more energy-efficient telecom equipment.

Unfortunately, most regulations are neither well-defined nor mandatory, which possibly explains why the sustainability efforts of India's telcos are somewhat half-baked. Meanwhile, the draft Indian Telecommunications Bill 2022 makes not a single mention of the adoption of green or sustainable practices.

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— Gagandeep Kaur, contributing editor, special to Light Reading