Africa Data Centres (ADC) has initiated the construction of a solar farm in the Free State, in collaboration with DPA Southern Africa. The first phase of this project aims to power ADC’s Cape Town data centre, with subsequent phases planned to cater to its facilities in Johannesburg.
This development follows a significant milestone marked by a twenty-year power purchase agreement signed in March 2023 between ADC and DPA Southern Africa, a joint venture of the French utility EDF and Distributed Power Africa. ADC, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies and a sister company of Liquid Intelligent Technologies considers this announcement pivotal in its pursuit of sustainable energy solutions and carbon neutrality objectives.
Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, “Today’s announcement represents a significant stride in our initiative to energize South African data centres sustainably, advancing our objective of achieving carbon neutrality.”
Durvasula outlined the plan, highlighting the initial focus on constructing a 12 MW solar infrastructure to power the Cape Town data centre, with subsequent phases extending to Johannesburg.
In addition to procuring renewable energy, ADC has also obtained ISO50001 certification for its data centres, indicating its commitment to energy management standards.
Durvasula acknowledged the global scrutiny faced by data centres regarding their reliance on grid power and renewables, underscoring ADC’s proactive approach to addressing this issue by generating renewable energy and relieving strain on the local grid.
The selection of the Free State as the plant’s location was based on its abundant solar radiation and extensive grid connectivity, enabling DPA Southern Africa to efficiently transmit electricity to Cape Town and, eventually, Johannesburg.
It is clarified that while data centres require a consistent daily electricity supply, solar energy’s intermittency necessitates grid supplementation during nighttime and periods of insufficient sunshine.
FAQ
What is a data centre, and what purpose does it serve?
Answer: A data centre is a facility composed of networked computers and storage used to organize, process, store, and disseminate large amounts of data. It serves as the backbone for various digital services, including websites, applications, and cloud computing.
What are the different types of data centres, and how do they differ?
Answer: Data centres can be classified into several types, including enterprise data centres, which are privately owned and operated by individual companies for their IT needs. Colocation data centres provide space, power, and cooling for servers and networking equipment owned by multiple organizations. Cloud data centres offer on-demand computing resources and services over the internet, while edge data centres are located closer to end-users to reduce latency and improve performance.
How do data centres ensure security and protect sensitive information?
Answer: Data centres employ various security measures to protect sensitive information, including physical security such as access controls, surveillance cameras, and biometric authentication. They also implement cybersecurity protocols, including firewalls, encryption, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits, to safeguard data from unauthorized access, breaches, and cyber threats.
What are the environmental impacts of data centres, and how are they addressed?
Answer: Data centres consume significant amounts of energy for cooling and powering servers, leading to environmental concerns such as carbon emissions and resource depletion. To mitigate these impacts, data centres are adopting energy-efficient technologies, such as server virtualization, liquid cooling, and renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. Additionally, initiatives such as green building certifications, recycling programs, and carbon offsetting are being implemented to minimize the environmental footprint of data centre operations.
What is the African Data Center?
African Data Centre (ADC) is a leading provider of data centre solutions in Africa. It operates state-of-the-art facilities across the continent, offering colocation, cloud, and connectivity services to businesses, governments, and organizations. ADC is dedicated to supporting Africa’s digital transformation by providing reliable and secure infrastructure for storing, processing, and managing data. As a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies and a sister company of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, ADC is committed to advancing technological innovation and driving economic growth in Africa through its data centre offerings.
