Equinix Continues Decarbonisation Plans in France with wpd
A new 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) deal between Equinix and wpd aims to provide more than 300GWh of green energy output annually in France.
The agreement is one of the largest of its kind signed in France with renewable energy developer wpd and was facilitated by Schneider Electric. It will consist of four wind farm projects across France to deploy more renewable energy, including in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Hauts-de-France and Pays de la Loire.
It is also part of a larger contribution towards decarbonising the grid, with Equinix not only committing to long-term financial support, but also standing by its industry-leading attitude to sustainability.
A global investment into renewable energies
Having been in operation for 25 years, Equinix has continually expanded as a business and has amped up its progress throughout 2023, having become one of the largest data centre providers in Europe with 248 data centres in 31 countries across five continents.
The company is also working to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, having been one of the first in the data centre industry to commit to climate neutrality across all global operations. It is also a founding signature of the EU Climate Neutral Data Centre Operator Pact, which advocates for the development of sustainability requirements for the EU data centre industry to become climate neutral as a whole by 2030.
With this in mind, PPA solutions work well to better achieve sustainability targets for companies. Such an agreement will allow wpd to diversify its financing options for wind power projects under development, for example.
Since 2013, wpd has continually supported private companies in their decarbonisation process. The deal is a significant step forward, as it highlights its position as a major contributor in the French and European PPA market. PPAs help to strengthen the French market and support re-industrialisation across the country, helping to offer viable energy solutions to companies that wish to participate in the energy transition.
Régis Castagné, Managing Director of Equinix, says: “We are proud to sign one of the biggest Power Purchase Agreements in French history, marking a significant milestone in France and underscoring Equinix's global dedication to investing in renewable energy solutions.
“Through aligning with France's own renewable energy production goals, we're delighted to be positively and proactively contributing to the nation's decarbonisation and renewable investments. Equinix is committed to making responsible business decisions that will support our customers on their sustainable journeys and the signing of this deal with wpd helps us make a big leap forward on our own path to becoming climate neutral by 2030.”
Innovation to go hand in hand with sustainability
During a time of mass digital transformation throughout the data centre sector, industry leaders are having to develop greater sustainability solutions to support rising customer demands.
As more energy is being used by AI, for instance, nations around the world will have to support such developments with renewable options that do not drain global resources.
Equinix and wpd are collaborating to support renewable energy across France until at least 2045, adding to the company’s overall contracted capacity of 912 MW across the US, France, Finland, Spain, Portugal and Sweden. This is Equinix’s twentieth PPA, as the company seeks to invest in more renewable energy worldwide.
The agreement is supported by leading French company Schneider Electric, who is also committed to investing in greater renewable practices within the data centre industry. In fact, the company invested £7.2m (US$9.1m) into its UK sustainability strategy alone in 2023, designed to provide new solutions to support evolving power needs.
“We’re proud to be helping decarbonise the grid and facilitating an important milestone in the development of renewable energy distribution in France,” says John Powers, Vice President, Global Cleantech and Renewables at Schneider Electric, says.
“Deals of this value in France are rare and Equinix’s long-term commitment to PPAs in seven locations demonstrates its belief that the expansion of innovative digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with reducing our impact on the planet.”
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