- Vantage Data Centers has entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with SolarAfrica, a pioneer in South Africa’s solar energy financing.
- This agreement will enable Vantage to supplement the local grid that powers the company’s Johannesburg (JNB1) data center campus, which is slated to open in July, with renewable energy. Additionally, this investment will further drive the creation of renewable energy in the region by supporting the expansion of SolarAfrica’s De Aar solar project.
The Northern Cape of South Africa is considered one of the most abundant solar sites in the world. Within SolarAfrica’s larger solar farm, Vantage’s investment will support the production of 87MWp of renewable energy and is forecasted to reduce the emission of CO2 in the region by an additional 3.8 million tons over the lifetime of the agreement. At its completion, Vantage’s Johannesburg data center campus will have 80MW of IT capacity, of which up to 33% is expected to be supported by the solar farm. The state-of-the-art campus, located in the thriving business and data center ecosystem of Waterfall City, is situated on 30 acres (12 hectares) and will feature three facilities across 650,000 square feet (60,000 square meters) once fully developed.
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“Vantage’s investment in SolarAfrica’s De Aar project reaffirms our continued commitment to sustainability and our drive to reach net zero by 2030,” said Justin Jenkins, chief operating officer of EMEA and president of the U.K., Vantage Data Centers. “Not only will energy from this investment be used to power our Johannesburg campus, but it will also serve as another example of using solar-driven energy across the data center industry. In the near term, solar energy faces increasing demand, driving prices higher across South Africa. This investment, however, will ensure a stable price for our customers.”
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“With climate change being the defining challenge of our time, it’s crucial that we accelerate our carbon mitigation efforts to transform our planet into a sustainable green economy.” said Charl Alheit, SolarAfrica director. “We are continually driven to assist our customers in reaching their green energy goals while saving them money in the process. The rollout of the 87MWp solar farm for Vantage’s campus, which will be one of the largest in South Africa, is an exciting step for us as we gear up to help even more businesses save with cheaper, cleaner energy through wheeling.”
This agreement is another crucial step in Vantage’s long-term commitment to sustainability. In 2021, Vantage announced that the company will achieve net zero carbon emissions globally by 2030, marking a significant milestone in its work to increase efficiencies and reduce environmental impacts at its hyperscale data center campuses worldwide.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
