NBN Co says it will run on renewable energy by the end of 2025.

The company behind the national broadband network has announced a “Towards-Zero Carbon Ambition” that pledges to purchase 100 per cent renewable electricity from December 2025.

The roadmap also includes a plan to switch to electric or hybrid cars where possible by 2030, as well as cutting its annual energy use by 25 gigawatt hours by the end of 2025.

With over 8.3 million premises connected to the NBN, the company says it wants “more efficient use of energy as data demand and the number of connected premises continues to grow”.

“Beyond the direct impact of becoming an environmentally sustainable business, what’s equally exciting is the power of the network to help enable digitisation, and the huge benefits that unlocks for the nation in terms of emissions reductions, as well as socio-economic benefits,” NBN Co chief executive Stephen Rue says.

NBN Co says it is entering into a renewable power purchasing agreement that will deliver almost 20 per cent renewable energy to the network by financial year 2023.

More power purchase agreements and contracts for renewables will be needed for it to reach the 100 per cent target. 

NBN Co has also become the first Australian telco or government business enterprise to join RE100 - a global initiative that connects “the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100 per cent renewable power”.

“It joins 110 other major companies in Australia that have joined RE100 and made the commitment to switch to 100 per cent renewable electricity,” RE100 Australian co-ordinator Jon Dee said.

Australian members of RE100 are already using over 5.5 terawatt hours of electricity a year.