Oct. 9, 2008 - Telecom giant Vodafone, which in April pledged to rely on renewable energy wherever possible, has begun generating electricity for its mobile communications network via a new wind-energy system in Serra do Socorro, Portugal.

The company has installed a 3.5 kilowatt wind turbine on the base-station's telecommunications mast. The turbine will supply part of the electricity needed for equipment functions such as cooling - one of the main energy drains on a base station, according to Vodafone.

Vodafone expects to achieve reductions of 15-20% in total electricity consumption and climate emissions at Serra do Socorro. The system is currently being implemented at 32 of Vodafone's telecommunications base stations around Portugal, the company says.

The wind-energy project is part of Vodafone's strategy to slash its carbon emissions in half by 2020. The plan also calls for developing products and services that help customers limit their own climate emissions.