Vodafone launches Renewable Power Challenge for its sites

Vodafone has launched a global competition inviting organisations to submit innovative solutions to generating renewable power directly at mobile phone sites.

Called the Renewable Power Challenge, the initiative will encourage powering sites in rural or remote areas without access to power grids, or where there are frequent power outages, while avoiding the use of fossil fuels on-site. 

Vodafone’s goal is to develop the solutions in collaboration with partners so that they can be deployed across a significate share of its more than 160,000 mobile sites in Europe and Africa. More innovation is needed to provide reliable, climate-friendly and cost-effective solutions to help achieve that goal.

The competition is in collaboration with South African mobile communications company Vodacom, Vantage Towers, one of Europe's largest mobile-mast firms, and Tomorrow Street, a joint venture between Vodafone and the Luxembourg government to accelerate leading-edge tech through scaling late-stage startups. 

Vodafone seeking on-site green energy options

The competition comes at a time when Vodafone has been working with third parties and suppliers to develop and test solutions based on solar, wind, fuel cell or micro-turbine technologies to generate on-site power.  

Last month, Vodafone switched on the UK’s first green energy mobile site, based on wind turbine technology, solar panels and on-site battery storage. The trial is being delivered in partnership with wind turbine technology specialists Crossflow Energy, and mobile infrastructure services company Cornerstone.

For the Renewable Power Challenge, Vodafone is seeking submissions across two categories: Technology Solutions, which could cover power generation technologies, alternative fuels, innovative storage solutions; and Partnership Models, which could cover organisations that build and operate community power systems based on renewable energy.

Organisations looking to apply should register for an account and submit their proposal through the Vodacom-owned platform. 

Shortlisted companies will showcase their solution to an audience of more than 4,000 tech companies at ARCH Summit in October, the flagship industry event of Tomorrow Street. Successful finalists will be invited to move towards a Proof of Concept stage.

• Read about the ground-breaking work of Tomorrow Street in the June issue of Supply Chain Digital.