Nxtra by Airtel increases use of renewable energy by 58% in FY23, ET Telecom

NEW DELHI: Nxtra by Airtel, the data center arm of India’s second-largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel, increased its use of renewable energy by 58% in FY23, compared to the previous fiscal year.

It reduced the operational emissions by 5% across Scope 1 and 2 from the FY21 baseline, Nxtra by Airtel said in its sustainability report released Thursday. The company aims to be ‘Net Zero’ emissions by 2031.

Recently, Nxtra by Airtel adopted hydrogen-ready fuel cell technology with low carbon emissions in collaboration with Bloom Energy.

“The report has been prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards 2021 and outlines Nxtra’s contributions towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). It is also aligned with the framework drawn up by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD),” it said in a statement.

Nxtra by Airtel is also experimenting and preparing to deploy new cooling technologies to accommodate Artificial Intelligence (AI) workloads in the future in a sustainable fashion, as per the sustainability report.

Ashish Arora, CEO–Nxtra by Airtel, said sustainability is at the core of the company’s operations, adding that the workplace has been designed to be inclusive and safe, and has imbibed transparent governance standards and “environmental conscientiousness that is endorsed by every employee”.

It added that 84% of the edge site infrastructure managers are ex-servicemen. At the same time, the company doubled the female workforce.

Nxtra by Airtel sourced 98% of procurement from Indian suppliers, the report shows.

“I am delighted to launch this report today coinciding with World Sustainability Day and highlight our dedication to lead India’s data center industry to stride ahead with an unwavering commitment to prioritize sustainability above all else,” Arora said.