Vodafone will be running its European network on 100 per cent renewable electricity by July 2021, a target that is four years earlier than previously set.

The company originally pledged to have a Green Gigabit Net by 2025, but the new aim has also committed it to helping its business customers reduce their carbon emissions by 350 million tonnes by 2030.

Vodafone’s pledges align with the company’s purpose to improve the lives of 1 billion people while halving its environmental impact by 2025. In 2019, Vodafone committed to purchasing all electricity from renewable sources, halving its environmental footprint by 2025 and reusing, reselling or recycling all of its network waste, supporting the move towards a more circular economy.

In May 2019, Vodafone issued its first €750m green bond to finance or refinance projects to help meet the company’s environmental objectives, subsequently reporting which projects were eligible under the use of proceeds and how they were selected.

Around four-fifths of the energy used by Vodafone’s networks will be from renewable sources obtained directly from national electricity grids via PPA and green tariffs. The remaining fifth, supplied by Vodafone’s landlords on buildings and other infrastructure, will be covered instead by credible Renewable Energy Certificates. Where feasible, Vodafone will also invest in self-generation on site, mostly via solar panels.

Nick Read, CEO, Vodafone Group, said: “Our accelerated shift to 100 per cent renewable electricity on our European networks will change the way we power our technology for good – reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, helping our customers manage their resources more effectively and reduce their carbon emissions, while helping to create a healthier planet for everyone.”

The new 2021 target, set by Vodafone, has been developed alongside carbon and sustainability experts, the Carbon Trust.

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