Africa Data Centres, Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities, say it has broken ground on the construction of a solar farm in South Africa's Free State in collaboration with DPA Southern Africa, a joint company of the French energy utility EDF.
The objective of the Free State farm is to furnish renewable energy to Africa Data Centres sites, commencing with its cutting-edge, carrier-neutral data centre in Cape Town, the CPT1 facility.
This announcement is part of a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) inked in March 2023 with DPA Southern Africa.
Referring to the ongoing issues with power supply in the country, President and Group CEO of Africa Data Centres' parent company Cassava Technologies, Hardy Pemhiwa, says: “This initiative positions Africa Data Centres as a trailblazer in the data centre industry in responding to South Africa’s energy crisis through sustainable technology solutions.”
He adds: “This is in line with a broader industry shift towards innovative, eco-friendly practices. The strategic use of solar power showcases technology's role in pioneering solutions for energy challenges and environmental sustainability”.
Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres, explains: “The first phase involves constructing the 12MW solar infrastructure to power our Cape Town data centre, with subsequent phases extending to our Johannesburg data centres.”
This project is described as a key element of Africa Data Centres’ ambitious plans to emerge as the most sustainable colocation provider on the continent. Durvasula says: “Beyond procuring renewable energy, our commitment to an efficiency strategy has earned us the internationally recognised ISO50001 certification for the effective operation of our data centres."
