altafiber's sustainability vision is to connect people, free from waste or pollution, enhancing environmental quality and health in our communities. Building on a long legacy of environmental stewardship, altafiber committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and began work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across our operations. In 2022, we launched our Climate Action Plan, which sets a course to achieve our interim goal of reducing carbon emissions by 40% from our 2021 baseline by 2030.
Since then, we've learned a great deal. As our data has become richer and more comprehensive, we've gained a clearer understanding of our emissions and have been able to refine our approach and reporting. We've also seen that some initiatives are progressing more quickly than others, with each contributing to meaningful outcomes in different ways.
Now, in 2026, we've updated our Climate Action Plan – publicly available on our website here- to reflect what we've learned and how our business has evolved. This refreshed plan provides a more accurate picture of our progress and reinforces our commitment to achieving our long-term climate goals.
2026 Climate Action Plan Update
1.) Transitioning Customers From Legacy Copper to Fiber Network Equipment
54% of energy use in altafiber central offices powers our legacy copper telecom network equipment, with only 11% used by our new, strategic fiber equipment. Transitioning customers to fiber and shutting down legacy equipment will help to lower energy use and therefore our footprint.
2.) Making Upgrades to our Fleet Efficiency and Electrification
The majority of altafiber’s scope 1 emissions are attributed to fuel use. altafiber has already introduced 7 new EV’s to our fleet and is making our fleet younger, smaller, and more efficient to reduce fleet-related emissions.
3.) Creating Net Zero Energy Buildings
altafiber’s store and office in Dayton, Ohio is both LEED silver certified and has achieved net-zero carbon using its 70.5 kW PV system. Our Middletown central office, the first built by the company since the 1980s, hosts a 97-kW ground mounted PV system providing enough solar power to be net zero.
4.) Natural Gas Switching at our Downtown Cincinnati Network Headquarters
As the natural gas boilers at our West 7th Headquarters building reach the end of their lives, we are studying replacement options to improve energy efficiency, humidity control, and advance our climate action plan.
5.) Adding On-site Solar Photovoltaic Systems
Steady progress has been made as altafiber has deployed two PV systems at Dayton and Middletown. Future plans in our climate action plan include installing over 800 kW in 2027 and 1600 kW of renewable energy capacity by 2028, this will help to reduce energy related emissions.
6.) Renewable Energy Purchasing
In order to close the gap toward our companywide 2030 reduction goals across both altafiber and its sister company, Hawaiian Telcom, our climate action plan includes procuring renewable energy. altafiber began purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) in 2024, and plans increase our supply of green power to approximately 50% of our power load via a power purchase agreement.
Together, these actions will move altafiber closer to its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in 2030 while keeping us on the path to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Our goal is to provide connection without carbon.
