Renewable energy is now a common, if not essential, component of most announcements regarding data centre development. In fact, it appears to be the primary event in recent occurrences, Kenya.
As part of the 342-hectare Green Energy Park in Olkaria, Naivasha, late last week, the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) and KenGen, the country’s largest electric power producer, broke ground on the building of a Tier IV data centre. This information is based on the ThinkGeoEnergy website.
Kenya’s Vision 2030 economic development plan includes Konza (Konza Technopolis), a metropolis driven by a robust information, communications, and technology (ICT) sector, excellent, dependable infrastructure, and business-friendly government systems.
Konza Technopolis is a sustainable, world-class technology hub and a major economic driver for the nation, with a vibrant mix of businesses, workers, residents and urban amenities. It aims at strategically positioning Kenya as a global destination for Business Process Outsourcing and Information Technology Enables Services (BPO/ITES) and propels Kenya into a mid-income economy by 2030.
The goal of this industrial park is to utilise Olkaria’s geothermal resources to supply a consistent and renewable energy source for the park’s companies.
Four phases of the project’s construction will take place between 2025 and 2045. It is intended for the park to house commercial, industrial, and recreational amenities.
The renewable energy group Continuum Green India and the corporate renewables solutions company Vibrant Energy Holdings established the renewable energy project companies that Airtel will purchase stakes in to power six of Nxtra’s edge data centre facilities. This is part of Airtel’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
Airtel to source renewal energy for its data centres
Airtel said that it will acquire a share in Continuum Green, which will bring green power from solar and wind power projects to Airtel’s edge data centres in Madhya Pradesh, over an open access channel. To provide solar energy to its edge data facility in Vijaywada, Airtel and Vibrant Energy have entered into a similar stake acquisition deal.
According to Airtel, with the addition of these additional capacities, the contractual renewable energy capacity for Nxtra data centres will have surpassed 274,000 MWh.
In a bid to reduce its carbon footprint, Bharti Airtel on Monday announced that it will purchase 23,000 MWh of renewable energy by Q4 FY 23-24 for its data centre company, Nxtra. The company will also acquire stakes in the renewable energy project companies established by Continuum Green India Pvt. Ltd. and Vibrant Energy Holdings Pte. Ltd. to power six of Nxtra’s Edge data centre facilities. The projects will lead to a reduction in emissions by 16,370 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.
“With the addition of these new capacities, the total contracted renewable energy capacity for Nxtra data centres will have exceeded 274,000 MWh and it will be well on its way to establishing itself as the leader in building green data centres,” said the company in an exchange filing.
The purchase will be made through an open access route where Airtel will acquire a stake in the project company of Continuum Green, which will supply green power from solar and wind power projects to its Edge data centres in Madhya Pradesh. Airtel has also entered into a similar stake purchase agreement with the project company Vibrant Energy to supply solar power to its Edge data centre in Vijayawada.
