Africa Data Centres teams up with Distributed Power Africa for solar energy project in SA

Pan-African data centre operator Africa Data Centres (ADC) has signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Distributed Power Africa (DPA) to supply its facilities in South Africa with renewable solar energy.

Under the terms of the agreement, DPA SA will supply 12MW of renewable solar energy for Africa Data Centres facilities in South Africa. The energy will be delivered to the ADC’s facilities partly from the solar farm DPA is developing near Bloemfontein, South Africa  to deliver the first 12MW required for the ADC data centres.

“…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,” said Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres.

Durvasula further added that the 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.

For Distributed Power Africa, the agreement presents an opportunity for the company to demonstrate our innovation in deploying renewable energy solutions.

“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,” said Norman Moyo, CEO of DPA.

As South Africa’s national power provider, Eskom, faces seemingly endless problems, data centre operators have been forced to find ways to circumvent the country’s failing power grid, with renewable energy sources being the immediate alternative—Africa Data Centres being the latest to do so.