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With Proparco's support, NETIS is testing a hydrogen-based energy production solution for telecoms operators in sub-Saharan Africa
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Proparco is providing a €500,000 grant to NETIS to finance hydrogen-based electricity generation equipment (produced on site using water) to replace generators. The aim of the project is to reduce the carbon footprint emitted by the electrical infrastructure of telecoms towers by replacing generators powered by combustion engines with green solutions based on hydrogen and fuel cells. Thanks to this innovative solution, telecoms operators will be able to improve the reliability and availability of their network using a renewable energy source.
Operating in sub-Saharan Africa since 2009 in fifteen countries, NETIS is positioned as a leading pan-African provider of telecoms and energy infrastructure services, offering a complete range of services from the maintenance and construction of telecoms sites, to the deployment and connection of fibre optics, as well as the supply and installation of energy solutions. In 2023, a consortium comprising Amethis, Africinvest, Proparco and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) invested in NETIS.
This new project with NETIS presents an opportunity for Proparco to act in line with its 2023-2027 strategy and to commit to the energy transition with innovative solutions such as green hydrogen, which has the potential to present a solution for achieving carbon neutrality, as set out in the Paris Agreement.
By modernising energy infrastructures for telecommunications services and mobile telephony, NETIS is helping to accelerate the technological development of infrastructures for the next generations of 4G and 5G, reducing the cost of data and bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
Claire Devey, Senior Project Manager at Proparco, commented: ‘ We are proud to be able to make Proparco a player in the energy transition by supporting an innovative project such as NETIS, which will enable the installation of innovative energies, particularly green hydrogen, as well as reducing the carbon footprint. We are committed to working towards a greener, more resilient economy .
For Jean Farhat, CEO and co-founder of Netis, ‘ NETIS is proud to be experimenting with clean energy solutions for telecoms operators. These innovative energy sources will improve the availability and reliability of networks, while generating substantial savings that will primarily benefit users in rural areas.
This project meets 4 Sustainable Development Goals: n°9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) n°10 (Reduced inequalities), n°13 (Measures to combat climate change) and n°8 (Decent work and economic growth).