Zain Bahrain, the leading Mobile Broadband network operator in the Kingdom, announced that it has invested in the adoption of sustainable energy-efficient solutions through the use of outdoor enclosures, enabling it to improve the environmental impact and encourage smart energy management. As part of its sustainable goals, the company is committed to reducing its carbon emission into the atmosphere and supports the green environmental campaigns in the Kingdom in favour of energy conservation. By adapting to an infrastructure that impacts the environment positively as compared to conventional mobile sites, Zain Bahrain is not just contributing towards the fight against global warming, but is also ensuring its financial viability.
Zain Bahrain, as a responsible telecom provider recognizes the importance of climate change and prioritized environmental issues by following the Environment and Social Management Plan (ESMP) guidelines across all its operations. Encompassing the deployment of energy-efficient technologies also aligns with Zain Bahrain’s commitment to help achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. These solutions are part of Zain Bahrain's sustainability goals to optimize energy usage that results in carbon footprint reduction and positively affects the lives of Bahrain’s citizens.
To further optimize energy usage, Zain Bahrain utilizes Ericsson’s enclosure and power portfolio to streamline its 5G applications and power systems for indoor and outdoor operations. The outdoor enclosures based on Heat Exchanger (HEX)/Active Cooling technology, is a multi-purpose cabinet designed for a range of radio network equipment, transport, and 3PP vendors. The robust design of these outdoor enclosures together with HEX technology, through free cooling, ensures optimal environmental protection for the active equipment. With the current deployment, Zain Bahrain aims to minimize its carbon footprint and power consumption by reducing the operational complexities that are involved with the traditional deployment.
Commenting on the plans to accelerate the adoption of outdoor enclosures, Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Director, Communications & Investor Relations at Zain Bahrain said, “We at Zain Bahrain believe that there is a huge potential to reduce energy consumption in the telecom domain and also recognize the urgency in addressing the climate crisis. In fact, we have closely been monitoring risks related to climate and opportunities available as part of our risk assessment framework.” He further added, “The solution adopted demonstrates our commitment and dedication to mitigate and reduce CO2 emissions and directly improve citizens' lives by working towards achieving a greener island. It also exemplifies our efforts to better manage our energy consumption by using just the right amount of energy required for smarter operation. With such solutions, we at Zain Bahrain are dedicated to creating a future that demonstrates inherent capabilities to deliver sustainable growth and mitigates the impact of any climate-related risks.”
Commenting on energy-efficient technology, Amar Buali, Manager Network Access, IP, Cyber Security & Building Services at Zain Bahrain, said, “At Zain Bahrain, we are committed to utilizing technologies that support the Kingdom’s direction towards climate change adaptation and mitigation. We continue to implement solutions that enhance our capabilities and ensures Zain Bahrain stays ahead of the curve both technically and environmentally. We aim to replace the majority of our traditional sites with a more sustainable solution by leveraging on outdoor enclosures with intelligent energy management that will drastically reduce energy consumption. By implementing such energy-efficient and green solutions, Zain Bahrain strives to create a healthier and more comfortable environment in the Kingdom that will add to further network expansion and delivering a seamless digital experience to its end-users.”
Fatema Haider, Manager, Sustainability & Inclusivity said, “For the growth of connectivity to be sustainable, we have incorporated environmental targets into our strategy. We analyse different scenarios when planning any transformation, not only from a connectivity requirement and revenue perspective but also from an environmental perspective. Our workforce is mindful and works towards reducing our reliance upon traditional methods by moving to alternatives such as clean energy that is cost-effective and also increases efficiency. It is also Zain’s conscious corporate sustainability drive to address climate change by taking control of the impact it has on the environment.”
Zain Bahrain recognizes the importance of realizing the United Nations SDGs for the good of the global community, as well as the planet and continues to address environment and climate change issues through its constant infrastructure enhancements while aligning with Planetary Boundaries. The company also considers progress and positive change within the Kingdom to be at the heart of everything it does and continues to contribute to Bahrain's future prosperity.