AI Helps Vodafone UK Cut its Carbon Emissions as Data Grows

Broadband and mobile operator Vodafone has today highlighted how they’re adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help cut their carbon emissions. Despite seeing a 300% increase in data carried across its UK network since 2019, their overall energy consumption has remained flat and emissions have fallen by 77%.

The operator, which is currently working toward their goal for Net Zero across UK operations by 2027 (i.e. removing as many emissions as they produce), says they’re using innovative technologies like big data analytics, AI, machine learning and IoT to drive energy efficiencies across their 11,500 owned radio base stations, which help to detect where parts of the network are using more energy than expected (this can then be targeted and fixed).

On top of that they’re also generating their own clean energy with the installation of 720 on-site solar panels at a mobile telephone exchange (MTX network site) in Gloucester, a first for the business, which will produce around 240,000kWh of renewable electricity a year. Vodafone hopes to install rooftop solar PV across a number of additional sites across the UK over the next two years.

Another initiative – the Vodafone Smart Sites programme – uses Internet of Things (IoT) and AI on Vodafone’s highest energy consuming radio base stations, enabling it to manage the sites remotely and reduce the need for engineer visits. As of March 2023, 1,300 sites have been connected.

The business thus claims to have “de-coupled” the link between data growth, energy usage and carbon emissions: despite a 300% increase in data carried on Vodafone’s UK network since 2019 (including a 60% increase in the last 2 years alone), its overall energy consumption has remained flat, because a 4% energy consumption increase year-on-year across the network has been counterbalanced by a 7% energy consumption decrease thanks to rationalisation programmes and energy savings.

Andrea Dona, Network Director at Vodafone UK, said:

“We all recognise the need to drive energy efficiencies – both from a financial and environmental perspective. The fact we’ve been able to decouple the link between data carried, energy consumption and carbon emissions is thanks to our laser-focus on energy efficiency – and nowhere is this more important than across our network.”

Using our own technologies to deliver brilliant programmes such as big data and Smart Sites is hugely impactful. Onsite power generation is another important ambition, and I’m delighted we now have our first on site solar up and running on our Gloucester MTX.”

We will continue to drive innovation in this space.”

The operator, at least in the UK, has been powered by 100% renewable electricity since July 2021; and recently announced a second major corporate solar power purchase agreement (PPA) giving it access to clean, high quality and affordable renewable electricity for the next 10 years and meaning that 44% of its annual energy requirement will come from UK-based renewable power sources by 2025.