Bangladeshi telco Robi Axiata has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two renewable energy companies to develop a 100MW solar project to power its operations in the country.

The agreement brings together Robi Axiata, FloSolar Solutions, a renewable energy project developer, and GreenPower Asia, a subsidiary of France-based Volta Groupe. The three parties will form a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to finance, build, and operate the solar park.

The project will follow a build-own-operate model. Under this arrangement, Robi will be the exclusive offtaker of the electricity generated through a long-term corporate power purchase agreement (cPPA).

Describing the initiative a “game changer,” Robi Axiata’s chief technology officer, Perihane Metaweh, said the project will support the company’s broader sustainability agenda.

“Securing 100MWp of renewable energy through a cPPA marks a major step toward reducing our dependency on fossil fuels,” she said. “This move also enhances cost efficiency and reinforces Robi’s leadership in environmental, social, and governance practices within Bangladesh’s telecom industry.”

According to Metaweh, the solar facility is expected to cut Robi’s CO2 emissions by approximately 68,200 tons annually.

While the company has yet to finalize a location for the solar park, it said several sites have been identified, with the final selection to be made following a comprehensive feasibility study.

In addition to the solar park, the SPV will also conduct a separate feasibility assessment to explore the potential of equipping up to 16,000 of Robi’s mobile base stations with solar power systems. The telecom provider has been gradually introducing solar energy to select base stations since at least 2022.

Founded in 1997, Robi Axiata is Bangladesh’s second largest mobile network operator. Malaysian multinational telco Axiata holds a 61.82 percent stake in the company, with Bharti International Singapore holding 28.18 percent, and the remaining 10 percent held by the general public.

Last year, its subsidiary Axentec PLC launched a Tier IV-standard data center in the country. The data center is located in the Sheikh Hasina Software Technology Park in Jashore and spans 16,500 sq ft (1,535 sqm).