One of the world’s leading telecoms company, Orange has installed 5, 400 solar panels at telecoms sites across the world as part of the company’s contribution to environmental protection.
The group is positioning itself in these countries as the biggest deployer of solar panels with a renewable energy use rate already at over 50% for Orange Guinea, 41% for Orange Madagascar and 65% for Orange Sierra Leone. Most are 100% solar while others are hybrid with the latest generation of batteries.
Middle Eastern and African countries where Orange operates gets a fair share of the installation.
The company intensifies its solar project in Africa and the Middle East its ambition to reduce carbon footprint to zero by 2040. Many sites across the region are not connected to the electricity grid, and those connected requires alternative back-up solutions making the solar panel project highly relevant to current times.
The West African country Liberia where 75% of the telecoms sites are equipped with solar panels is also one of the biggest recipients of Orange’s solar project.
The solar panel installation project has enabled Orange save 55 million of litres of fuel every year. The solar panel installation is also one of the many initiatives Orange is pursuing to avoid using fossil energy that emits carbondioxide, a serious air pollutant. Orange has taken several steps to project the environment from pollution.
The company, in 2021, launched the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Committee to help implement and monitor all EHS programmes, and make recommendations to management.
The green energy projects were also accelerated by migrating 334 out of 505 sites to solar. The company also has plans to increase target for renewable energy ration from 33% to 41% by end of 2022, and the solarisation of Bo Data Centre in 2023 remains a key priority. Other actions the company would embark on include providing an on-grid solar solution for Freetown Data Centre to reduce load by 2023, expand site footprint to install more solar panels, swap existing solar panels with high power panels among others. Orange is a leading global telecoms company with sales of 42.3 euros in 2020 and 140, 000 employees worldwide as of 31st March, 2021 including 80, 000 workforce in France. The company has a total customer base of 262 million customers worldwide in the same period including 217 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers.
The company which has a presence in 29 countries is also a leading global provider of IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the ‘Brand Orange Business Services.’ In December, 2019, the company presented its new ‘Engage 2025’ strategic Plan guided by social and environmental accountability aimed at reinventing its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the company is still an attractive and responsible employer adapted to emerging professions.