We just got word of a new initiative by the GSM Association to make self-sufficient base stations using renewable energy called Green Power. While it might sound like a nice fuzzy-wuzzy idea for making existing towers more eco-friendly, this kind of technology is actually an enabler for a lot of remote areas where cell service wouldn’t even been an option because of fueling concerns, as well as make them economically viable in developing countries. The goal is to have 118,000 base stations running on renewable energy by 2018, which would result in saving 1.5 billion litres of diesel per year and cut annual carbon emissions by up to 6.3 million tonnes. Big players like Telefonica, Vodafone, and Orange are all on board, as well as lots of smaller carriers. Now, I’m no engineer, but it seems natural to turn windmills into cell towers, doesn’t it? Hit up the GSM Development Fund to see how you can get involved.