Africa Data Centres (https://www.AfricaDataCentres.com/) has signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Distributed Power Africa; distributed Power Africa will supply 12MW of renewable solar energy for Africa Data Centres facilities in South Africa through wheeling; by working together, the two companies are also supporting several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Africa Data Centres, a business of Cassava Technologies group, is pleased to announce it has signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with DPA Southern Africa Pty Ltd (DPA SA), a joint company of Distributed Power Africa and the French utility company, EDF.
Under the terms of the agreement, DPA SA will supply 12MW of renewable solar energy for Africa Data Centres facilities in South Africa .
“Through this agreement, our customers will benefit from a sustainable data centre,” says Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres.
As the demand for data continues to soar, the data centre industry is expanding rapidly, he explains. “However, while data centres are the foundation of the digital transformation process in Africa, they require reliable, cost effective and preferably green power to operate. Our partnership with DPA will also help in reducing our reliance on the strained South African national grid, enabling us to play our part in alleviating the current energy challenges facing the country”.
Energy will be delivered to Africa Data Centres’ facilities partly from the solar farm DPA is developing near Bloemfontein to deliver the first 12MW required for the ADC data centres.
Research (https://apo-opa.info/3YJEXmA) reveals that the global data centre market was valued at $187.35 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $517.17 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 10.5% from 2021 to 2030. In addition, most estimates claim data centres are responsible for as much as 2% of the world‘s energy consumption, which is approximately the same as the aviation industry.
While it cannot be denied that tremendous strides have been made towards carbon neutrality, designing, developing, and operating sustainable facilities is still one of the greatest challenges faced by developers, co-location operators, global cloud computing providers and hyperscalers.
According to Durvasula, “Each year, the data centre industry must try to accommodate two fundamental goals. Firstly, it must meet the demand for the capacity needed to support the ever-increasing range of high-performance computing, digital services, edge environments and connected devices. Secondly, it must find ways to lower energy usage and reduce its universal impact resources that are already stretched to the limit.”
Africa Data Centres itself has a target to power all its data centres with clean, zero-carbon sources of energy. “This new deal will provide over 30% of our South African data centres with renewable energy, a great stride forward in our aim to reach carbon neutrality.”
The data centre giant, as the largest pan-African network of interconnected data centre facilities, is at the vanguard of sustainable change and has always been committed to helping South African companies reduce their reliance on the already strained power supply. “By signing this latest PPA, we will reach our second milestone towards carbon neutrality. Our first milestone was to optimise our roof space with solar, and this latest deal will see us utilising the recently approved wheeling mechanism within South Africa’s municipalities”.
DPA is a pan-African renewable energy company with key operations in South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe whose vision is to power Africa to a brighter future. Commenting on the partnership Norman Moyo, CEO of DPA, said, “Our customers are looking for cost-effective and efficient ways of meeting their green targets and reduce energy costs for their businesses in a climate of increased power shortages. We are excited to embark on this milestone project with Africa Data Centres as it will demonstrate our innovation in deploying renewable energy solutions”.
Through the creation of a 50:50 Joint Venture between DPA and EDF in South Africa via DPA Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, EDF intends to develop hybrid energy solutions for clients across Africa. Valérie Levkov, Senior VP Africa and Middle East at EDF commented: “This agreement with Africa Data Centres re-affirms EDF’s commitment to provide low carbon solutions for commercial and industrial client in Africa, and we are very pleased to be a part of this initiative.
By working together, the two companies are also supporting several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all and to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. This partnership also creates sustainable consumption and production patterns and, most significantly, takes urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Data Centres.
Press contact
DPA:
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Africa Data Centres:
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About Africa Data Centres:
Africa Data Centres is your trusted partner for rapid and secure data centre services and interconnections across the African continent.
Africa Data Centres is Africa’s largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities. Bringing international experts to the pan-African market. We are your trusted partner for rapid and secure data centre services and interconnections across the African continent. Strategically located, our world-class facilities provide a home for all your business-critical data. Proudly African, we are dedicated to being the heart that beats your business.
Africa Data Centres’ aim is to unveil various business opportunities and to develop a strategic network of partnerships. This will further strengthen Africa Data Centres’ superiority in providing our customers with the highest standard of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities throughout Africa. https://www.AfricaDataCentres.com/
About Distributed Power Africa:
Distributed Power Africa, a business of Cassava Technologies, is on a mission is to ensure that businesses and individuals have access to affordable and efficient green energy through a zero-start-up cost model. We engineer, install, own, manage and finance energy generation solutions based on solar PV and storage technology. At DPA, we fully understand Africa’s power challenges and the importance of access to reliable power to drive the continent’s digital economy. Through our energy services, we are developing end-to-end solutions for customers, including generation, distribution, energy supply and ‘wheeling.’ DPA’s solutions deliver cost efficiency and energy resilience in Data Centres, Telecom Towers and Commercial&Industrial Power (C&I), while reducing our customers carbon footprints. For more information visit www.DPAAfrica.com.
About EDF:
As a major player in energy transition, the EDF Group is an integrated energy company active in all businesses: generation, transmission, distribution, energy trading, energy sales and energy services. EDF group is a world leader in low-carbon energy, having developed a diverse production mix based mainly on nuclear and renewable energy (including hydropower). It is also investing in new technologies to support energy transition. EDF’s raison d’être is to build a net zero energy future with electricity and innovative solutions and services, to help save the planet and drive well-being and economic development. The Group is involved in supplying energy and services to approximately 39.8 million customers [1], of whom 30.3 million in France [2]. It generated consolidated sales of €143,5 billion in 2022. EDF is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.
[1] Since 2018, customers are counted per delivery site. A customer can have two delivery points: one for electricity and another one for gas.
[2] Including ÉS (Électricité de Strasbourg) and SEI.
