Large parts of the world that haven’t had or still don’t have phones also lack electricity, which of course makes operating cell phones difficult. Both the cell towers and cell phones need to run off generators, old car batteries, or solar panels. But a new initiative by Ericsson and South African operator MTN looks to replace diesel powered generators with biofuels derived from palm and pumpkin seed oil. See Pumpkin Power Dawns for African Mobile Networks by Reuters.

Supported by GSM Association’s development fund, the project is first being trialed in Nigeria, then will be replicated in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.