Solar-on-tower powers Ethiopia’s green telecom shift

Ethio Telecom, in partnership with Huawei, has announced the successful commercial rollout and steady operation of Africa’s first Solar-on-Tower solutions

The initiative represents a major step forward in Ethio Telecom’s strategy to transition toward a green, low carbon future. It aims to expand clean energy use, establish greener networks, and set a new technological milestone for the African telecommunications industry.

The Solar-on-Tower concept integrates photovoltaic panels directly onto telecom towers, offering a practical solution to the challenges of limited land availability and restricted space for solar installations in urban areas.

The first installation allowed the site to generate and consume its own solar power within just two days. Initial results show that solar power at these sites can last up to four hours, while diesel generator use has been reduced from six hours to two hours, equating to a 40% cut in fuel consumption per site.

In Addis Ababa, where thousands of telecom sites face space restrictions, adopting traditional ground mounted photovoltaic systems is not feasible. Solar-on-Tower therefore emerges as the first viable solution to enable Africa’s telecom sector to replace conventional energy sources with renewable power in such space limited scenarios.

Looking ahead, Ethio Telecom and Huawei plan to continue working together to develop high quality ICT energy infrastructure. Their shared goal is to promote greener, low carbon networks and enhance the resilience of telecom systems across the region.