Data storage and services group Africa Data Centres, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has commenced the construction of a solar farm in the Free State in collaboration with DPA Southern Africa. The construction of the plant is part of a 20-year power purchase agreement signed in March 2023 with DPA Southern Africa (SA), a joint company of the French utility EDF, aimed at tackling South Africa's energy crisis.
Solar Farm Construction Begins
The objective of the Free State farm is to furnish renewable energy to Africa Data Centres' sites, commencing with the carrier-neutral data centre in Cape Town, the CPT1 facility.
Africa Data Centres said, "Today's announcement represents a significant stride in our initiative to energise South African data centres sustainably, advancing our objective of achieving carbon neutrality. The first phase involves constructing the 12 MW solar infrastructure to power our Cape Town data centre, with subsequent phases extending to our Johannesburg data centres."
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Sustainable Energy for Data Centres
According to Africa Data Centres, the first phase will see power getting wheeled to its CPT1 facility, and the second phase will see power being supplied to JHB1 and JHB2 once wheeling agreements with relevant municipalities conclude.
"Beyond procuring renewable energy, our commitment to an efficiency strategy has earned us the internationally recognised ISO50001 certification for the effective operation of our data centres," the company said.
"Data centres worldwide face scrutiny for their reliance on grid power and renewables, and Africa is no exception. Africa Data Centres are actively addressing this issue by generating renewable energy, alleviating strain on the local grid," Africa Data Centres added.
