Vantage Data Centers Enters Power Purchase Agreement With SolarAfrica To Secure 87MWp Of Solar Energy For Johannesburg Data Center Campus
Vantage Data Centers Enters Power Purchase Agreement With SolarAfrica To Secure 87MWp Of Solar Energy For Johannesburg Data Center Campus. Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, has announced that it 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.
“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.”
“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.”
