Green Target Network Helps Zain Reduce Carbon Emissions and Mitigate Climate Change Impacts

• Over 1,800 network sites in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and some other countries have been modernized cutting carbon emissions by 150,000 tons annually

• Zain partnering with Huawei to develop an end-to-end green target network supporting its 2050 Net Zero aspirations

Climate change is a global crisis impacting regions worldwide, with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) identified as a hot spot of climate change. Climate models predict temperature in MENA will rise 20% higher than the global average, intensifying drought and flood conditions, and posing increasing threats to humans, and biodiversity. In response to these challenges, transitioning to Net Zero emissions has become a global imperative.

As a leading regional telecom operator, Zain is actively addressing climate-related physical and transition risks while seizing innovation opportunities in sustainable technology.

Zain formally committed to reducing its Scope1 and Scope 2 emissions by 42% compared to 2020 levels, with the goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. To realize these objectives, Zain is partnering with Huawei to develop end-to-end green target networks with advanced green and energy-saving technologies, to enhance site's energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Significant progress has already been made across several of Zain's operating companies (OpCos).

Recently, Zain adopted the simplified green site solution, upgrading conventional diesel-powered sites in a remote desert area of Kuwait to a low-carbon model. Previously, these sites relied on two diesel generators (DG) operating 24/7, resulting in high energy consumption, high challenges for maintenance, and high emissions - up to 90 tons per site per year.

Engineers had to visit these sites on monthly basis in extreme heat and to perform refueling under temperatures up to 50℃.Following the simplification, the site energy efficiency increased from 55% to 90% with a reduction of the generator runtime by 73% due to solar power. As a result, fuel consumption was reduced by 18,000 liters per site per year, leading to a reduction of CO2 emissions by 49 tons per site per year. Maintenance visits were also cut by 50%.

Zain's green network solution has been widely deployed across its OpCos in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and some other countries. Over 1,800 sites have been modernized, cutting carbon emissions by 150,000 tons annually- equivalent to planting 4.8 million trees per year.

In addition to power modernization and clean energy utilization, Zain's green target network adopted advanced technologies across energy, wireless equipment, and Operation and maintenance (O&M). This includes deploying energy-efficient products such as Meta AAUs, ultra-wideband RRUs, the extremely large antenna array (ELAA) technology, ultra-wideband power amplifiers, and RF algorithms to greatly improve network energy efficiency.

With these innovations, network energy efficiency has significantly improved. The latest "0 bit 0 watt" technology that is based on software features and algorithms, further reduces energy consumption by enabling deep hibernation during non-peak hours.  

Looking ahead, Zain plans to expand its green network initiatives across all its OpCos, advancing the ambition of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. These efforts demonstrate Zain's commitment to mitigate its impact on the environment and build resilience against climate change.