Africa Data Centres, a business of the Cassava Technologies group, has begun construction of a solar farm in Free State, South Africa, that will provide power to the company’s sites
The project, a key element of the company’s plans to emerge as the most sustainable colocation provider on the continent, is being delivered in collaboration with DPA Southern Africa, a joint company of the EDF. Forming a crucial part of the 20-year power purchase agreement signed in March 2023, the first phase of the new farm will see power getting wheeled to the CPT1 facility, a carrier-neutral data centre in Cape Town, with the second phase seeing power supplied to JHB1 and JHB2.
“Today’s announcement represents a significant stride in our initiative to energise South African data centres sustainably, advancing our objective of achieving carbon neutrality,” said Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres. “The first phase involves constructing the 12MW solar infrastructure to power our Cape Town data centre, with subsequent phases extending to our Johannesburg data centres.”
Powering data centres in Africa
Nawfal El Fadil, the CEO of DPA SA, added, “We are thrilled and honoured to contribute to Africa Data Centres’ mission of achieving carbon neutrality, beginning with the establishment of this solar power plant in the Free State to serve their data centre in Cape Town. At the heart of our collaboration lies a shared understanding that the path to carbon neutrality extends beyond infrastructure – it demands innovation, expertise, and collective determination to overcome challenges. DPA SA, backed by EDF’s legacy, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in delivering high-quality, sustainable energy solutions to this partnership.”
“Data centres worldwide face scrutiny for their reliance on grid power and renewables, and Africa is no exception,” concluded Durvasula. “Africa Data Centres is actively addressing this issue by generating renewable energy, alleviating strain on the local grid. Additionally, our sustainability objectives encompass achieving net-zero status at all facilities, making this project another significant stride towards reaching that goal.”
