Ericsson and Zain Group have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen joint sustainability efforts aimed at creating more energy-efficient networks. This collaboration is designed to accelerate the transition to Net Zero by maximizing the impact of sustainability initiatives, thereby assisting Zain Group’s operating entities in reducing their environmental footprint.
Building on the successes of their 2023 agreement, Ericsson has established a framework and related activities focused on breaking the energy curve, which includes strategies for minimizing energy consumption and carbon emissions across various Zain networks. This process involves defining baseline energy consumption and carbon emission metrics on Zain’s live networks, utilizing Ericsson’s methodology and energy meter counters to accurately measure equipment energy usage.
Zain has implemented one of Ericsson’s innovative lightweight 5G solutions, the Massive MIMO antenna-integrated radio AIR 3268, in Bahrain, achieving an 18% reduction in energy consumption. Additionally, a trial of Ericsson’s energy optimization software in select areas resulted in a 35% reduction in energy usage at radio sites, demonstrating the scalability of energy-efficient solutions within network infrastructure.
In its pursuit of sustainability, Zain Bahrain has modernized 80 sites by deploying the Ericsson Enclosure 6150, leading to a 50% decrease in carbon emissions.
A forum for exchanging global best practices has been established between Zain Group and Ericsson, facilitating discussions among experts on energy efficiency, decarbonization, and intelligent operations. Multiple joint workshops have been conducted, allowing participants to collaborate on sustainable deployments and strategize ways to further reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions across Zain Group’s networks to achieve Net Zero.
With the extension of their MoU, Ericsson and Zain Group will continue their focus on breaking the energy curve through the potential deployment of the latest 5G radios and energy-saving features within Zain Group’s networks. They will also investigate intelligent operations to further reduce Zain Group’s carbon footprint and enhance energy efficiency. Additionally, the partnership will emphasize the implementation of Ericsson’s global Product Take-Back Program, which supports the responsible disposal and recycling of e-waste.
According to Ericsson Research and the Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Report 2023, the ICT sector has the potential to decrease total global industrial emissions by up to 15% across various industries by 2030 through connectivity solutions. Ericsson is dedicated to empowering communications service providers (CSPs) to become more energy-efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective as they expand their 5G networks.
