Zain, Kuwait’s leading digital service provider, has joined forces with Huawei, a global ICT infrastructure and smart devices provider, to launch a long-term initiative to accelerate the development of green 5G networks and ICT infrastructures. To accomplish their shared objectives in addressing climate change, the two companies collaborate to develop green and sustainable networks by utilizing 5.5G technologies.
Over the years, Zain, one of the leading operators in the region, has implemented a variety of initiatives and efforts to address climate change in the ICT industry and Huawei is dedicated to assisting Zain in creating the most environmentally friendly ICT infrastructure.
In 2023, a consistent and progressive decarbonization of network infrastructure will serve as the foundation for the performance metrics that Zain and Huawei will jointly research and develop relating to climate change. Zain and Huawei will work together to develop green 5G networks faster and implement cutting-edge technologies that help create a greener ICT infrastructure.
Approach to Sustainability
According to Eaman Al-Roudhan, Chief Executive Officer of Zain Kuwait, more efforts are needed to further reduce their environmental footprint by limiting their dependence on fossil fuels, reducing energy consumption, adopting eco-design principles, eliminating e-waste, adopting circularity across or value chain, implementing water and electricity conservation measures, addressing impacts on biodiversity and ensuring that their plans and activities are inclusive.
Al-Roudhan said that they have aligned their partnership ecosystem to accelerate their transition to a Net Zero economy and achieve their sustainability strategic goals.
Moreover, according to Steven Yi, President of Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, climate change leads to physical and transition risks. To mitigate such risks, it is important for companies to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprint in line with limiting global warming to the recommended level of 1.5˚C compared to the pre-industrial level.
Yi said that Zain’s focus on green development strategies such as pursuing energy-saving and intelligent solutions for ICT infrastructure is a positive move towards achieving this goal. As Zain’s strategic partner, Huawei is committed to support their endeavors in pursuing green and sustainable development.
Zain and Huawei will strengthen their collaboration on energy-saving technologies, solar hybrid power systems, and other green technology products. A long-term initiative to develop a green and sustainable network leveraging 5.5G technology is being launched by both companies.
One of the four pillars of Zain’s corporate sustainability strategy is addressing climate change. The company has committed to lowering its overall energy use and emissions along its whole value chain, as well as increasing environmental awareness and improving the environmental performance of its workplaces.
In order to lessen its harmful effects on the environment, Zain has set short- and medium-term goals to reduce its whole carbon footprint and hopes to reach net zero by 2050. Additionally, in order to lower the carbon footprint of the ICT infrastructure, Zain and Huawei are conducting intensive research on cutting-edge technologies like 5.5G, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy.
Green Strategies
Over the years, Zain and Huawei have conducted in-depth, multi-layered practices and research in environmentally friendly development. The collaboration was successful in 2022 in a number of areas, including network design optimization, the introduction of cutting-edge technology, the activation of artificial intelligence, and the adoption of renewable energy sources.
Zain aggressively migrates data traffic from 4G network to 5G network with the help of partners like Huawei because 5G is a more energy-efficient network than its forerunner, LTE 4G.
However, in order to reduce 5G energy consumption by more than 20% while maintaining network KPIs, Zain is constantly working with partners to strengthen its policies for energy conservation throughout the whole network.
The network’s artificial intelligence’s capabilities made achieving this objective possible. Furthermore, by using renewable energy sources like solar energy, Zain can eliminate the need for diesel generators at the solar hybrid powered site by 85%.
Zain will keep looking for improved, low-carbon, and eco-friendly technologies, products, and practices. In addition, Zain and Huawei will collaborate to create a framework and method for defining what a “green network” is. The company is committed to creating an environmentally friendly network and encouraging technology advancement in order to help Kuwait achieve its goal of becoming completely carbon-neutral by 2060.
