Solar power is proving cheaper than diesel for mobile networks
By Staff Writer
Why this matters
When a mobile operator replaces diesel generators at its towers with solar panels, it’s not just cutting bills: it can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, improve network reliability in off-grid areas, and reshape local economies that once depended on noisy fuel deliveries. Safaricom, Kenya’s largest operator, has moved quickly into that space — taking a sizeable share of its network off diesel and onto sunlight.
How Safaricom did it (in plain terms)
Safaricom began installing solar and hybrid (solar + battery + rectifier) solutions on base transmission stations as part of a broader sustainability strategy tied to a net-zero by 2050 commitment. What started as a modest pilot of a few hundred sites in 2022 expanded rapidly: Safaricom reported 310 solar sites in 2022, 1,432 solar-powered sites by 2023, and media and company updates put the figure at around 1,500+ sites as the rollout continued. The company has publicly stated targets for scaling this further — including plans to convert thousands more sites as part of a multi-year programme.
Technically, the upgrade typically replaces or augments diesel generators with photovoltaic panels, lithium-ion battery storage and modern power management (and in some cases keeps diesel as a backup). That lowers fuel consumption and generator runtime, while batteries smooth supply during night-time and cloudy periods. Vendors such as Huawei and Nokia have been partners in supplying integrated site-energy solutions.
The measurable impact so far
- Network sites converted: from a few hundred in 2022 to c.1,432–1,500+ solar sites within 18–36 months of the programme’s scale-up.
- Carbon and energy savings: the photovoltaic roll-out was a primary enabler of a reported 7.1% reduction in Scope-1 emissions in the period cited, and the company reported double-digit savings on energy use in operational updates.
- Operational cost savings: Safaricom has published figures showing savings per site from switching to solar — for example, cited reductions of KSh23,000 at on-grid sites and KSh59,000 at off-grid sites (per site, in the period referenced), reflecting lower fuel and maintenance bills.
Those savings are not only arithmetic: less dependence on fuel deliveries reduces outages caused by late fuel or generator failures, which improves service availability in rural and remote communities. A Safaricom account of the programme noted fewer breakdowns and quieter neighbours where noisy generators used to run.
Voices from the company (what they say)
“This move to solar is a significant part of the company’s journey towards sustainability and achieving net-zero by 2050,” said Stephen Kiptinness, Safaricom’s chief corporate affairs officer, in the company’s public briefings — adding that the shift reduces emissions and “is even more affordable.”
Other technical leads within Safaricom have stressed that the rollout focuses first on off-grid and diesel-reliant sites because the immediate emissions and cost benefits are largest there. The company has also tied the energy transition to financing instruments such as sustainability-linked loans to fund the capital outlay.
Limits, trade-offs and open questions
- Upfront capital and vendor dependence. Solar + battery systems need upfront investment and service contracts; much of the early roll-out relied on equipment and project financing, and on vendors to integrate systems — which raises questions about long-term total-cost-of-ownership, local skills transfer and supply-chain resilience.
- Battery lifecycle and e-waste. Lithium batteries reduce generator runtime, but they age and require end-of-life management; large-scale roll-outs should plan for safe recycling and circular procurement so gains aren’t offset by new waste streams. (Safaricom’s sustainability reporting references circular-economy measures but details on large-scale battery disposal remain an industry challenge.)
- Coverage vs emissions trade-offs. In some contexts, diesel generators have been essential for expanding coverage quickly into very remote areas. Safaricom’s approach — hybrid systems with diesel fallback — balances coverage goals against emissions reductions, but the speed of replacing backups depends on battery tech, grid expansion, and cost.
- Verification and transparency. Independent verification of claimed emissions reductions and per-site savings would improve accountability. Public sustainability reports cite percentage reductions and site counts; third-party audits would make company claims more robust for investors and civil society.
What this says about corporate impact beyond CSR
Safaricom’s tower electrification shows how operational decisions can produce measurable social and environmental outcomes when they are embedded in core strategy rather than treated as philanthropy. Converting base stations to solar touches on several impact levers at once: it reduces direct emissions, lowers operating costs (which can affect tariffs or reinvestment), improves service reliability in underserved places, and creates a procurement pathway for green energy in local markets. That is “impact” that goes beyond check-box CSR because it alters how the business runs and how customers experience the service.
But the model also underscores the need for complementary policies: clearer e-waste rules, incentives for local manufacturing and maintenance skills, and standards for reporting. Otherwise, the promise of corporate transition risks being limited to headline counts rather than systemic change.
Bottom line
Safaricom’s solarisation of base stations is a concrete example of a large African corporation converting climate commitments into operational changes. The numbers, roughly 1,400–1,500+ solar sites to date, measurable emissions reductions and per-site cost savings, show early success. The next test will be scaling responsibly (battery lifecycle, local value chains, transparency) so the programme truly transforms both the company’s footprint and the communities it serves.
Read more
Safaricom newsroom explainer on the programme and the company’s sustainability reports. (Safaricom Newsroom)
