Yondr Group, a developer, owner, operator and service provider of hyperscale data centres, has announced the launch of what it calls “an ambitious sustainability plan”, which includes a target to achieve net zero by 2030 for scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions.
Yondr has a strong presence in a number of markets covered by Developing Telecoms, notably Malaysia, where it announced its entry into the market in 2022, and India, where it announced a joint venture in 2021.
In addition to pledging to achieve net zero for scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions within the next six years, Yondr’s new sustainability strategy also includes a commitment to working with the company’s clients and supply chain to support further carbon reductions across the data centre value chain, incorporating scope 3 carbon emissions into the plan.
Put very simply, scope 1 refers to direct emissions that are owned or controlled by a company, whereas scope 2 and 3 indirect emissions are a consequence of the activities of the company but occur from sources not owned or controlled by it.
Yondr says its sustainability strategy brings together multidisciplinary expertise from across the company’s sustainability, development, design, utilities and tech teams, ensuring that carbon reduction is embedded into data centre projects at every touchpoint – from site acquisition through to the operational phase and legacy planning.
The company says it will drive innovation in the use of renewable energy, energy reduction and energy recovery strategies, aligned to the specific environment and requirements of each data centre location and client. Combining industry-leading approaches to energy efficiency and renewables will be pivotal to successful delivery of the plan, along with a collaborative focus across the value chain, embracing new technologies and techniques.
“Traditionally, the data centre industry has a large carbon footprint due to high consumption of energy and materials,” says Yondr’s CEO Paul Cossell, but he adds: “It is encouraging to see that the whole data centre industry is increasingly recognising the need to take positive, measurable and verifiable action to reduce carbon emissions.”
Positive action from all players would certainly be welcome – especially at a time when AI is likely to further boost demand, and hence power consumption. It may be some time before that action is measurable and verifiable, however.
