Hyperscale data centre campuses provider Vantage Data Centers has secured 87 MWp of solar energy for its Johannesburg (JNB1) data centre campus through a 20-year power purchase agreement with solar energy financing firm SolarAfrica.

The agreement, which will enable Vantage to supplement the local grid that powers the company’s JNB1 campus with renewable energy, is forecast to reduce the emission of carbon emissions in the region by an additional 3.8-million tonnes over its lifetime.

The JNB1 data centre campus, located on 12 hectares within the Waterfall City ecosystem, will have 80 MW of information technology capacity, of which up to 33% is expected to be supported by the solar farm.

The campus, which is expected to open this month, will feature three facilities across 60 000 m2 once fully developed.

“Vantage’s investment in SolarAfrica’s De Aar project, in the Northern Cape, reaffirms our continued commitment to sustainability and our drive to reach net zero by 2030,” says Vantage Data Centers UK president and Europe, Middle East and Africa COO Justin Jenkins.

The company announced in 2021 that it 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 centre campuses worldwide.

“With climate change being the defining challenge of our time, it is crucial that we accelerate our carbon mitigation efforts to transform our planet into a sustainable green economy,” adds SolarAfrica director Charl Alheit, noting that SolarAfrica aims to assist its customers in reaching their green energy goals, while saving them money in the process.

As solar energy faces increasing demand in the near term, driving prices higher across South Africa, the investment will ensure a stable price.

Jenkins comments that the support of SolarAfrica’s De Aar solar project will not only enable the company to power the campus, but also serve as another example of using solar-driven energy across the data centre industry and drive the creation of renewable energy in the Southern African region.

“The roll-out of the 87 MWp 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 ,” Alheit concludes.

Wheeling is the transfer of electricity from its generated source through the power network to be used in another location.