How is Brazil Moving to Close Its Data Centre Gap?

Brazil’s growing AI infrastructure movement is catalysing an urgent need for sovereign digital infrastructure as a nation. Yet 65% of Brazil’s data is still stored abroad, despite the country’s green energy advantage. 

This combination of urgency and discrepancy is evolving into national action.

In the September edition of Data Centre Magazine, we sit down with Alessandro Lombardi, Founder & Chairman of Elea Data Centers to discuss why this marks a turning point in the evolution of the digital infrastructure landscape in Brazil.

A sleeping giant in the data centre indsutry  

“The global demand for digital infrastructure, especially for power-intensive applications like AI, is unprecedented,” says Alessandro. 

“However, mature markets like the US are facing challenges with power grid limitations, high energy costs and permitting delays. This is creating a shift, and Brazil is perfectly positioned to accommodate this demand – making it open for business. 

“Brazil’s abundance of clean, renewable energy makes it an ideal location for global and multinational tech companies seeking to build and expand their IT infrastructure.”

But in light of these opportune circumstances, the question of digital sovereignty is becoming more and more pressing, according to Alessandro.  

“For Brazil, building robust, sovereign digital infrastructure is about creating a stable, secure, and compliant ecosystem that benefits both local and foreign companies,” he says. 

“It's about creating a foundation of trust and control that makes Brazil an even more attractive and secure place for global companies to do business. By ensuring that data remains within the country's borders, under local jurisdiction and subject to local regulations, Brazil can:

• Offer a predictable environment for foreign investment: Multinationals and hyperscalers get a reliable and compliant environment to expand their operations into Latin America.
• Create a robust digital ecosystem: We can foster local innovation and give foreign companies a platform to engage with Brazil's rapidly growing digital economy.
• Ensure data security and privacy: Brazil can protect the privacy of its citizens and critical national interests while also meeting the needs of global companies.

Sustainability, innovation and collaboration as differentiators 

As data centre operators pivot from established hubs like the US towards emerging digital infrastructure hubs like Brazil, Alessandro explains how the country is pioneering a new, more integrated approach to data centre development.  

“A prime example is Elea’s Rio AI City,” says Alessandro. “What makes Rio AI City a pioneer is its focus on environmental sustainability and innovation. This is a key part of the project's design and operation, as well as Elea’s strategy.

“The entire complex, initially with an energy capacity of 1.5 GW, will eventually expand to 3.2 GW and be supplied with 100% renewable and certified energy. This leverages Brazil’s clean energy matrix, where more than 80% of the electricity comes from renewable sources and sets a new global benchmark for sustainable digital infrastructure.

“The project also uses waterless cooling systems, a critical solution for high-density AI applications, to drastically reduce environmental impact. By relying on high-efficiency direct air systems, it eliminates the need for potable water consumption. Heat from the servers and IT equipment is dissipated directly into the atmosphere, making water consumption unnecessary.

“Rio AI City is an ecosystem of data centres located in the Olympic Park region of Rio de Janeiro, a hub for connectivity, energy and strategic logistics. This project will serve as a catalyst for urban renewal and is designed to attract innovative companies and digital nomads from around the world.”

On the importance of private-public collaboration

To fully understand Elea Data Centers’ approach to sustainable and innovative digital infrastructure, you have to contextualise it within the company’s strategic public-private partnership model. 

“Rio AI City is reflective of this approach, with a historic memorandum of understanding signed between Elea and the federal government, the city of Rio de Janeiro and key public institutions,” explains Alessandro. 

“This collaboration is strategic, not just institutional. It allows Elea to reduce project risk by working directly with city and federal officials, streamlining complex permitting processes and ensuring the project is seamlessly integrated into the city's power grid, submarine cable hub and broader urban revitalisation goals.”

Alessandro also points to the approach as a means of creating shared value and ensuring long-term adaptability. 

“This partnership allows Elea to build an ecosystem that is mutually beneficial, generating thousands of high-skilled jobs and contributing to the city's economic development,” he says. “Engaging local stakeholders from the outset enables Elea to develop a ‘living infrastructure’ that evolves in response to technological advancements, regulatory changes and climate realities, ensuring long-term success and a lasting, positive impact.

“By adopting this collaborative model, Elea is a strategic partner in building Brazil's digital future, offering a sustainable and reliable way for global companies to expand into the country.”

A digital infrastructure blueprint

Alessandro insists that Elea’s efforts matter because they’re creating a blueprint for the data centre industry that connects the company’s mission to a broader global purpose.

“As the need for AI and other advanced technologies accelerates, the industry faces a critical choice: to simply build more capacity or to build better, more sustainable infrastructure,” says Alessandro.

“Elea is committed to building better. Its vision is to serve as a sustainable bridge to Latin America, enabling digital growth while protecting the planet. Its model, rooted in strong company values, demonstrates that it is possible to build technically advanced infrastructure that is also environmentally regenerative and socially inclusive. 

“We are proving that a data centre can be a powerful engine for community and economic development, creating high-skilled jobs, driving local innovation and fostering a robust digital ecosystem. 

“This not only makes Brazil an attractive destination for foreign investment, but it also elevates the entire industry by setting a new standard for what a data centre can and should be.”