Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the private sector telecom companies have executed only a small number, around 3,400, of Renewable Energy Technology (RET) projects.

“As per the report of RET Committee, the private sector telecom companies have executed only a small no. (around 3,400) of Renewable Energy Technology projects. The timelines of implementing the directions in respect of powering the mobile towers through hybrid power/ Renewable Energy Technologies+Grid Power are 2015 and 2020,” Prasad told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

He said on the basis of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommendations, the department of telecom (DoT) issued directions in January 2012 regarding implementation of green technologies in telecom sector.

The directions said: “At least 50 percent of all rural towers and 20 percent of the urban towers are to be powered by hybrid power (Renewable Energy Technologies + Grid Power) by 2015, while 75 percent of rural towers and 33 percent of urban towers are to be powered by hybrid tower by 2020.”

IANS