The challenge and what we wanted to achieve 

As the MTN Group continued to advance its Project Zero ambitions, MTN South Africa took a leading role in demonstrating how large-scale renewable energy could be integrated into critical digital infrastructure. Through a major solar deployment initiative across its national data-centre footprint, the company realised that integrating solar at scale offered a practical way to cut Scope 2 emissions, stabilise power supply and support long-term operational resilience.  

For Richard Nunes, General Manager, Network Implementation, it was a strategic opportunity to strengthen energy resilience while accelerating decarbonisation across one of the company’s most energy-intensive asset classes. 

“At MTN, we’re not just enhancing our digital infrastructure; we’re intentionally building a future powered by sustainable energy,” Nunes noted. “Every step we take helps reduce our carbon footprint; strengthens the resilience of the communities we serve and ensures that the network we leave behind is better, cleaner and more responsible for the next generation.” 

What we did 

MTN South Africa launched a coordinated solar rollout across its national data-centre portfolio, selecting priority Data Centres for installation during 2025 to 2026. The Data Centres were prioritised for their energy intensity, exposure to grid instability and projected contribution to MTN Group’s SBTi-aligned decarbonisation pathway. 

Nunes oversaw a multidisciplinary initiative that used detailed feasibility studies and engineering designs to ensure that each site could safely integrate large-scale solar systems.

Outcomes and impact 

The final solution deployed 7 384 bi-facial solar panels and associated inverters, installed across rooftops, carports and ground-mount areas to optimise energy generation. Advanced monitoring, metering and control systems were implemented to manage site-level generation, grid fluctuations and diesel-backup interaction. Battery storage was not required because the data-centre load could absorb all solar production in real time, improving efficiency and reducing cost. 

Once complete, the solar deployment is expected to deliver 4.5 MWp of installed capacity and generate approximately 7.6 GWh of clean energy annually. This will reduce MTN South Africa’s Scope 2 emissions by an estimated 7.9 ktCO₂e each year and decrease grid electricity usage at participating sites by 23%. 

“We are strengthening operational resilience by reducing reliance on an unstable grid, lowering the risk of power-related disruptions and decreasing diesel dependence,” said Nunes. It also supports a shift in organisational practice, with MTN South Africa serving as a proof point for how renewable energy can be integrated into mission-critical digital infrastructure. 

Teams involved in the rollout also gained experience in managing large-scale renewable installations. This strengthens MTN’s long-term capability to scale similar solutions across the Group. Further to this and in collaboration with our partners, we managed to deploy 50% of the sites within four months, further highlighting MTN’s capability to scale its operations to support ESG initiatives.  

Lessons learnt 

Some of the lessons learnt included the importance of comprehensive early planning, especially in understanding each site’s energy behaviour and operating environment. Factoring in grid instability early on allowed the team to adjust system designs to maintain stable performance. Cross-functional coordination proved essential: consistent communication among engineering, operations, finance and external partners helped resolve issues quickly and kept the multi-site rollout on track. Continuous monitoring also emerged as a key success factor, providing visibility into performance trends and enabling rapid optimisation. These lessons will guide future renewable-energy expansions across MTN’s footprint as the Group continues to embed sustainability into infrastructure decisions and advance its Project Zero goals. 

For Nunes, the project reaffirmed the importance of pairing technical rigour with climate ambition. His work in network implementation and his research interest in decarbonisation pathways shaped the team’s approach to planning a system that is both operationally resilient and environmentally progressive.