Smart cell towers turn to solar power

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March 26, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —  Smart Communications Inc. has started using solar energy in running its cellular towers to cut diesel reliance and reduce service downtimes.

Smart yesterday said it has teamed up with EdgePoint Towers Inc. in rolling out cell towers powered by solar energy in a move to build up business sustainability.

The wireless arm of telco giant PLDT Inc. is looking for ways to shake up energy sources, as it feels the burden of depending heavily on diesel now that prices are hitting P130 per liter.

PLDT chief operating officer Menardo Jimenez Jr. said the transition to solar power would begin in 20 sites, mostly in off-grid areas. For Smart, solarizing cell towers ensures that its connectivity services work no matter the level of fuel supply in remote locations.

Jimenez said the program also reduces Smart’s exposure to price surges, as evidenced by the geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East. Communities will also experience fewer downtimes, as solar-powered cell towers are shielded from electricity disruptions caused by typhoons.

“Ensuring reliable connectivity is our foremost priority, especially in communities where power supply is unstable,” Jimenez said.

“Solarizing these towers also significantly improves uptime and service continuity by giving our equipment a more dependable energy source for our network,” he added.

Across the initial sites, Jimenez said cell towers have a capacity of up to 181-kilowatt peak and are backed by a battery with more than 20,000 ampere-hours.

Smart’s solarization effort reduces its reliance on diesel in operating its network. The telco will reduce fuel consumption by at least 198,000 liters annually, avoiding roughly 545 tons of carbon emissions.

PLDT chief sustainability officer Melissa Vergel de Dios said Smart’s shift to solar energy would also accelerate the telco’s decarbonization roadmap. PLDT, as a group, aims to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 from its 2019 baseline.

“By shifting to cleaner energy sources, we reduce our emissions while making our network more reliable and future-ready,” Vergel de Dios said.

Last year, PLDT introduced EdgePoint to its supplier workshop, where the telco shared its policy on environmental preservation by merging sustainability efforts into infrastructure rollout.