SUSTAINABILITY
ENVIRONMENT
Powering a Sustainable Future
We recognize the pivotal role energy plays in our modern world and its impact on both the environment and society. Our energy strategy is not just about powering connectivity; it's about empowering a sustainable and responsible future.
As a leading telco and media operator, we acknowledge that a significant portion of our environmental impact falls under Scope 2 emissions. Therefore, our energy strategy becomes a crucial component in our commitment to achieving our Net Zero future. Our approach revolves around two key pillars: Green Energy Sourcing and Energy Efficiency
Green Energy Sourcing
We recognize the pivotal role of clean and renewable energy in shaping a sustainable future.
Investing in Solar and Wind Power
Recognizing that electricity constitutes the primary source of United Group’s scope 1 & 2 emissions, solar and wind power stand as cornerstones of our commitment to green energy.
Therefore, we have embarked on the development of four large-scale renewable energy projects in Bulgaria, leveraging the potential of both solar and wind power.
Onshore wind farm project
Strategically located near the Black Sea, this project is set to have a peak power production capacity of 72 MWP.
- WPP Kremena
Solar photovoltaics (PV) projects
This initiative involves the establishment of three PV projects situated on existing industrial sites owned by Vivacom, one of our operating company, boasting a peak power production capacity of 48 MWP.
- PVPP Gramada
- PVPP Mogila
- PVPP Barakovo
Anticipated to be operational by 2024-2025,these projects collectively are poised to cover over 65% of United Group’s total power consumption with green electricity.
With this significant investment, we will not only enhance the resilience of our operations ensuring a diversified and sustainable energy portfolio but also accelerates the shift towards cleaner, more responsible energy solutions.
100% Green Electricity Sourcing
For this reason, we committed to increase active annual sourcing of renewable electricity 100% by 2027 and to continue active annual sourcing of 100% renewable electricity. In addition to our green energy production effort in Bulgaria, we are committed to strategic investments in energy efficiency measures across our operations. This includes a targeted focus on small-scale solar projects that align with our sustainability goals. Furthermore, we remain dedicated to the procurement of high-quality Renewable Energy Credits. Through this multifaceted approach, we strive to enhance our environmental impact by not only generating clean energy but also implementing efficiency measures and supporting credible renewable energy sources through credit procurement. This comprehensive strategy underscores our commitment to sustainable practices and contributes to the broader landscape of responsible energy consumption.
Community Empowerment
Our green energy initiatives extend beyond the confines of our operations to empower local communities. Through partnerships and collaborative efforts, we aim to increase awareness about renewable energy, facilitate community-driven projects, and foster a culture of sustainability. Together, we strive to create a positive and lasting impact on the regions we serve.
Energy efficiency
As part of our net-zero strategy, we are implementing cutting-edge energy efficiency measures across our operations.
For our fixed network customers, the expansion of our Fibre To The Home (FTTH) network has improved service and access for our customers and resulted in improved energy efficiency. We plan to continue this by investing 1,2 billion EUR by 2030 in FTTH networks, and to migrate over 1,4million customers.
In our mobile network, migrating to 5G, continual monitoring and AI technology to identify low-traffic period and our implementation of new technology and advancements in vendor hardware has also contributed to our ongoing work to save energy in our mobile network. We are planning to invest an additional 1,1 billion euros in the development of our mobile networks by the end of 2030.
To improve energy efficiency in our data centres we have invested in state-of-the-art cooling technologies and implement innovation virtualization technologies and cloud infrastructure to optimize energy usage and minimize environmental impacts associated with data storage and processing.
We also aim to provide more energy efficient projects for our customers. The new screen saver feature in our EON TVs has saves our customers about 2.200 MWh of electricity per year in total.
From optimizing network infrastructure to incorporating smart technologies, every step is taken to ensure that our energy consumption is as efficient as possible.
