Motorola said it has won the Mobile Data Association (MDA) Green Award for its wind and solar powered mobile base station trial in Namibia, conducted with the GSM Association (GSMA) and MTC Namibia.

The MDA awards are a celebration of the best in mobile data and recognise the best of forward-thinking companies that have made a significant contribution to the uptake of mobile data.

Motorola won the award for successfully addressing environmental issues and bringing these issues into the corporate mainstream.

During the trial in Namibia, a base station on the site was powered using renewable energy sources, including wind and solar power.

The solution offers network operators a cost-effective way to enable the delivery of mobile voice and data services in remote, rural areas where mains electricity is either not available at all or prohibitively expensive.

"We are delighted to win such a prestigious award and to be recognised for our efforts in bringing green and sustainable communications to developing countries," said Joe Cozzolino, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Home & Networks Mobility EMEA.

"The award is a reflection of Motorola's commitment to commercial viable sustainable energy solutions."

The judging panel at the MDA stated: "the Motorola Namibia project demonstrated an innovative use of technology which in the future could mean that mobile networks will be powered by sustainable natural resources and not requiring carbon based power.

"We wish Motorola every success with this pilot and look forward to seeing more and more carbon free wireless networks around the world."

Motorola works to improve the environmental profile of its products and to improve energy efficiency in its operations.

From 2000 to 2007, Motorola reduced its carbon footprint by 25 percent. Currently, 9.7 percent of its total electricity purchases are from renewable energy sources.

Motorola's renewable energy solutions for powering wireless network cell sites are part of the company's Reach GSM portfolio. - TradeArabia News Service