Sustainable Infrastructure: Building Resilient, Low-Carbon Projects

CtrlS Datacenters launches GreenVolt1 solar farm

CtrlS Datacenters has unveiled its captive GreenVolt1 solar farm in India. Phase I of the solar farm with a capacity of 62.5MWp already went live in June 2024, while Phase II with an additional capacity of 62.5MWp is under implementation. CtrlS spent over a year in R&D to optimise the project and comply with all the regulations.          With ambitious plans to develop over GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 across India, including notable ongoing investments in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, CtrlS is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and promoting renewable energy adoption. Sridhar Pinnapureddy, Founder and CEO, CtrlS Datacenters says, “GreenVolt 1 will power CtrlS data centres both existing and upcoming, which we believe will set a new benchmark in the Indian data centre industry. We are committed to scaling our DC capacity to over 1GW and our GreenVolt solar farm is a major step towards doing that sustainably.” As part of the $2 billion investment plan announced by CtrlS earlier, the company has set its eyes to achieve net zero goal by 2040. To fulfil that goal, CtrlS is investing in solar projects across India. “GreenVolt1 is a giant leap with an intent to make bigger strides and expand GreenVolt projects across India. This is part of our journey towards sustainability, guided by the idea of responsible growth. We are now closer than ever before to the big picture- Making CtrlS completely carbon neutral by 2040,” Sridhar adds. Located in Nagpur, Maharashtra, the 125 Wp solar farm will power 60% of CtrlS’ Mumbai Datacenter Campus with clean energy, further solidifying the company’s green credentials. With this, enterprises hosted at CtrlS Mumbai Datacenter Campus can achieve their Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by offsetting their carbon footprint – in line with the brand mission of helping them take control of digital transformation seamlessly, securely and sustainably. CtrlS GreenVolt 1 is spread over 340 acres of land. Phase 1 of the project, which went live in June 2024, powers 30% of CtrlS Mumbai Datacenter Campus with solar energy, to be further scaled to 60% with the completion of Phase 2, adding another 62.5 MWP of solar capacity. Key differentiators CtrlS’ GreenVolt1 solar farm has a geographic advantage. Most solar farms are isolated in remote areas, but this site is located along the Mumbai-Kolkata highway, ensuring seamless connectivity. It’s a rare tabletop land, ensuring optimal utilisation of land area, evenly laid-out solar panels and cost-savings. While most solar farms in India use P-type panels, CtrlS GreenVolt 1 uses advanced N-type panels, the most efficient solar panels, delivering more energy with reduced land requirements and ensuring high efficiency in energy production. In phase 1, the company has installed 107,912 solar panels. CtrlS is on a mission to build over 1GW of solar capacity by 2030, which will power the company’s data centre footprint of over 1,000MW by 2030.

Yondr Group holds ground-breaking for Toronto data centre

Yondr Group, a global developer, owner and operator of hyperscale data centres, has held a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of work on site for its 27MW Toronto data centre. The project, which Yondr is building on a 4.5-acre site, is the company’s first development in Canada. It forms part of Yondr’s global expansion, as the business continues to deliver reliable and resilient data centre capacity at speed and at scale, with projects currently completed or in progress in North America, Europe and Asia. The ground-breaking in Toronto follows the completion of the company’s 48MW data centre project in Northern Virginia, and the first ready for service (RFS) milestone for the company’s 40MW Frankfurt data centre last November. The ceremony was attended by Councillor Shelley Carroll of Don Valley North, who gave a speech highlighting the city’s thriving digital economy and emphasised Toronto’s vision of becoming a global hub for innovation and talent. The event also brought together key stakeholders all united in their vision of building a more connected and future-proofed Toronto. Situated in a strategic location within Canada’s emerging data centre hub, the project comprises a three-storey, 27MW data centre, which is scheduled to achieve RFS by mid-2026. The project has been designed by Yondr to follow the Toronto Green Standard, the city’s sustainable design and performance requirements for new developments, and this aligns with the company’s environmental goals and target for achieving net zero for scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2030. The building will feature a closed loop cooling design, which means once the chilled water loop is filled, the facility will not need to consume water for cooling. Once completed, the project will have bike parking, electric vehicle charging points and will open up pedestrian walkways. The environmentally friendly landscaping plan will have native and pollinator plants, and the building’s glass will be bird-friendly, helping birds to see the building as a barrier and avoid collisions. As part of its social impact initiatives, Yondr has partnered with the University of Toronto to fund a scholarship programme. ‘The Yondr Group Scholarship’ will be available to undergraduate students at the university entering courses in Computer Science, the Rotman Commerce business programme, Life Sciences, or Mathematical & Physical Sciences. Successful applicants will receive $5,000 per year for five years, with the first awards being made to students starting their studies at the beginning of the 2025/26 academic year this coming autumn. Kent Andersson, Program Controls Director for the Americas at Yondr Group, says, “Our Toronto data centre forms a key part of our strategy for North America, where there is an urgent need to increase capacity to support the digital economy. This project will play a key role in providing the infrastructure needed to support cutting-edge cloud computing and connectivity, and enable the development of AI and future technologies in Canada and beyond. “We would like to thank the Canadian authorities, including the City of Toronto and our strategic partners, for supporting a positive approach to bringing this project from concept to site, and I look forward to seeing the data centre take shape on site over the coming months.” For more from Yondr Group, click here.

atNorth joins UN Global Compact

atNorth, the Nordic colocation, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence service provider, has become a signatory of the United Nations’ Global Compact as part of its ongoing commitment to business sustainability. The UN Global Compact is a voluntary initiative that enables members to align their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world and involves an annual disclosure of responsible business practices. Corporate responsibility is a core part of atNorth’s business ethos, and the company has evidenced this through its strategic Nordic locations, proprietary data centre design, heat reuse programmes and adherence to ISO14001 and ISO 45001 guidelines. These factors allow customers such as BNP Paribas and Shearwater Geoservices to decarbonise their IT workloads. The business has been a strong voice on the topic of the environmental impact of the data centre industry and is a member of several data centre industry associations in addition to the Infrastructure Masons Climate Accord - a coalition united on carbon reduction in digital infrastructure and the Climate Neutral Data Center Pact that is an agreement to make data centres climate neutral by 2030. By joining the UN Global Compact, atNorth will continue to share insight into its sustainability journey as a whole and inspire the data centre industry to not only mitigate its ecological risk, but to strive towards positive and restorative environmental and community impact. “As awareness of the environmental and social impact of digital infrastructure continues to grow, we are committed to raising the bar and leading by example as a responsible business within the data centre industry”, says Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO atNorth. “By actively aligning with the globally recognised UN Global Compact, we will provide a transparent account of our progress across the board”. atNorth recently appointed Cora Olsen, Director of Sustainability, to lead the continuous development and implementation of the business’s sustainability strategy which includes coordinating its alignment and reporting to the UN Global Compact’s principles. Cora comments, “Having recently joined atNorth, I am very impressed by the high level of ambition when it comes to sustainability. Becoming a signatory to the UN Global Compact is an important step forward to demonstrate our commitment to the global sustainability agenda.” For more from atNorth, click here.

Siemon releases 2024 ESG Report

Siemon, a network infrastructure specialist, has announced the release of its 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report. This latest report highlights the company's commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, and robust governance principles, and outlines the ways it is advancing ESG initiatives within the information communication technology industry. John Siemon, Chief Technology Officer, states, “Our 2024 ESG Report underscores Siemon’s commitment to driving meaningful change across all aspects of our business. Achieving the EcoVadis Gold Rating, investing in state-of-the-art tools for ESG reporting, and being recognised as a Great Place to Work for the second consecutive year reflect the strides we have made. At Siemon, sustainability and ethical business practices are embedded in our DNA. Together with our employees and partners, we are charting a course toward a more sustainable and equitable future.” The 2024 ESG Report outlines several key accomplishments over the past year, including: • 2023 Gold EcoVadis Rating: Siemon’s commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices has been recognised with a gold rating from EcoVadis, placing Siemon in the top 5% of companies globally for its ESG commitment.• Investing in advanced tools like 3E Exchange, Greenly and One Click to enhance reporting accuracy, transparency, and decision-making.• Recognition as a Great Place to Work for the second year in a row, reflecting the workplace culture at Siemon. Building on these achievements, Siemon has continued its focus on reducing environmental impact through innovative product design and sustainable packaging. The report details Siemon’s ongoing alignment with global initiatives, including adherence to the Responsible Business Alliance Code of Conduct, membership in the United Nations Global Compact, and progress toward the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) commitment to net zero. John Siemon concludes, “As we celebrate these accomplishments, we recognise the importance of staying at the forefront of ESG innovation. This report reflects directly on the level of engagement and commitment from every Siemon employee and supplier to our values and code of conduct. It is through this engagement that we minimise adverse environmental impacts and foster personal and social wellness within our organisation, industries, and communities.” To view Siemon’s 2024 ESG Report and learn more about the company’s initiatives, click here. For more from Siemon, click here.

Armstrong International acquires humidity controls specialist

Armstrong International EMEA, the continental entity of the global thermal energy innovations provider, Armstrong International, has acquired HygroTemp, a Netherlands-based humidity controls specialist. HygroTemp has worked closely with Armstrong – EMEA’s Humidification Group in the Netherlands since 2007. Together they promote key technologies like the EvaPack, a hygienic and controlled evaporation system manufactured by Armstrong EMEA’s subsidiary, Devatec, located in Normandy, France. HygroTemp’s former owner and Managing Director, Rolf Bosscher, will support Armstrong’s European Humidification team in further developing and promoting the EvaPack technology. He will also continue to be HygroTemp’s Business Development Manager. “Our clients are entering into a transition from steam humidification towards adiabatic humidification and free cooling, thus facilitating decarbonisation thanks to lower evaporation temperature,” says Rossen Ivanov, Managing Director of Armstrong International – EMEA. “HygroTemp has played a key role in introducing this new technology to companies in healthcare, pharmaceutical, electronics and data centre market segments, among others.” Jean-François Frambot, Armstrong International’s Global Director of Humidification and General Manager of Devatec, will take on the role of General Manager at HygroTemp. He comments, “This acquisition strengthens our position in The Netherlands and supports expansion into other European markets, where the demand for hygienic adiabatic humidification and free cooling solutions is growing.” Armstrong says that the acquisition underscores its continued investment in sustainable, innovative technologies that foster thermal energy efficiency, decarbonisation and long-term growth.

Chilean data centres to be powered with renewable energy

Atlas Renewable Energy, an international provider of renewable energy sources, has formed an agreement with ODATA, an Aligned Data Centers company and an expert in data centre construction and operations, to power Chilean data centres with 100% renewable energy. A landmark agreement for the Chile and data centre sector, this partnership continues Atlas' commitment to driving innovation in sustainable energy innovations for the rapidly growing Chilean data centre sector - with the company also supporting ODATA's strategic objectives and sustainability initiatives in the country. The agreement leverages diverse renewable energy sources, including solar power, to deliver 100% I-REC certifiable renewable energy to ODATA, empowering the organisation with the flexibility to pursue sustainable growth and expansion in the region. Ricardo Alário, CEO of ODATA, says, “We are proud to partner with Atlas Renewable Energy to support the proliferation of new technologies in this dynamic market while further advancing our sustainability goals. As a leader in data centre infrastructure for Latin America, we recognise Chile's potential as a key technology hub. With its strategic location and AI growth potential, the country provides an ideal environment for sustainable data centre growth.” Alfredo Solar, Regional Manager of Atlas Renewable Energy for Chile and the Southern Cone, adds, “At Atlas, we want to promote the implementation of innovative and cutting-edge technologies, where this agreement with ODATA represents just that - an important advance for the country, but hand in hand with sustainability. It is essential that this industry continues to develop at an accelerated pace, especially in an interconnected world in which we want to be protagonists, and for this, renewables as a way to ensure the reduction of the environmental impact of technological growth are key.” This agreement also fosters innovation and a sustainable energy transition in Chile to pave the way for an emerging and expanding data centre industry. Driven by the surge of cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the data centre industry has emerged as one of Latin America's fastest-growing sectors. This rapid growth is expected to continue as demand for new technologies accelerates. In Latin America, demand is particularly high in cities such as São Paulo, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile, where capacity is still limited compared to the growing need for digital infrastructure. Likewise, AI has advanced rapidly in Chile, which is considered one of the regional leaders in AI adoption, alongside governance, infrastructure, human talent, research, and development, according to the Latin American Artificial Intelligence Index (ILIA) 2024. Given the significant growth and demand within the data centre sector, Atlas Renewable Energy, with its 8.4 GW of renewable energy projects across Latin America, is well-positioned to partner with data centres in Chile. Leveraging its expertise in solar, and battery storage, Atlas can provide clean energy solutions that support the industry's continued expansion. This partnership will not only drive sustainable energy adoption within the Chilean technology sector, but also contribute to job creation and promote a more sustainable future. For more from ODATA, click here.

TerraPower and Sabey reach deal for deployment of Natrium plants

TerraPower, a nuclear innovation company, and Sabey Data Centers (SDC), a data centre developer, owner and operator, have announced a memorandum of understanding to develop a strategic collaboration agreement to utilise advanced nuclear Natrium plants into SDC’s current and future data centre operations. TerraPower broke ground on America’s first advanced nuclear project in 2024, near a retiring coal facility in Wyoming. The strategic collaboration includes exploring new Natrium plants in the Rocky Mountain region, as well as Texas, to support growing power needs for SDC-owned data centres. Due to the breadth of the opportunity, TerraPower and SDC will explore multiple project execution structures to meet the exponential demand in data centre energy needs with TerraPower’s innovative advanced nuclear and storage Natrium technology. "At its heart, TerraPower is an innovation-driven company, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Sabey to address the surging energy demands of data centres with clean, reliable and adaptable solutions like the Natrium technology," explains Chris Levesque, TerraPower President and CEO. "The energy sector is transforming at an unprecedented pace after decades of business as usual, and meaningful progress will require strategic collaboration across industries. Together, we can ensure advanced nuclear technology plays a vital role in securing a clean, resilient energy grid." “Sabey Data Centers is dedicated to pioneering sustainable energy solutions to support our customers’ growth,” adds Tim Mirick, President of Sabey Data Centers. “Our strategic collaboration with TerraPower represents a substantial move toward integrating clean, innovative power technologies into the heart of our operations.” "This strategic relationship exemplifies the forward-thinking collaboration necessary to meet the evolving energy demands of our digital future," notes Jeffrey Kanne, Vice Chairman of Sabey Data Centers and President and CEO of National Real Estate Advisors. The rise of AI and data centres is projected to increase US electricity demand by 323 terawatt hours by 2030. The Natrium technology is the first advanced nuclear technology to be deployed in the US and features a 345 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor with a patented molten salt-based energy storage system. The storage technology can boost the system’s output to 500 MW of power when needed, and can be customised to match specific site needs. The energy storage system is designed to keep base output steady, ensuring constant reliability, and can quickly ramp up when demand peaks. It is reportedly the only advanced reactor design with this unique feature, and is well suited to meet the power demands of data centres. SDC is one of the largest private data centre providers in the world, with over 20 years of experience in developing, constructing and operating data centers across the nation. It has pioneered sustainability within the data centre industry with a focus on whole-building energy efficiency and have a goal of achieving carbon-free energy operations across their portfolio. The Natrium technology is the first mover in the advanced reactor sector and is well positioned to support the dramatic new energy demand for data centres. Natrium is the only advanced nuclear technology with a construction permit application for a commercial reactor pending with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the only advanced nuclear developer to begin construction on a commercial project in the US. The first Natrium plant is being developed through the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), a public-private partnership. That project is expected to be online in 2030 and will be the first commercial, utility-scale advanced nuclear power plant in the US. For more from Sabey Data Centers, click here.

Schneider Electric named World’s Most Sustainable Corporation

Schneider Electric, the expert in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has been named the World’s Most Sustainable Corporation 2025 by Corporate Knights and, in the process, has become the only company to rank first in the Global 100 twice. Schneider Electric previously topped this annual list of the most sustainable publicly listed companies in 2021 - the same year it generated annual revenues of over $1 billion. Schneider says that the achievement underlines its long-standing commitment and holistic approach to delivering the best environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance possible. “For many years now, sustainability has been at the heart of what Schneider Electric does,” comments Olivier Blum, Schneider Electric's CEO. “For an IMPACT company it's more than just a corporate goal, it's the driving force that shapes our business decisions and inspires our employees. This second title as the World's Most Sustainable Corporation from Corporate Knights, alongside other key ESG recognitions, is testimony to the valuable, long-term positive impact we have.” This year, Schneider Electric’s number one position reflects the company’s leadership in sustainable development practices, such as the gender diversity of its executives and board directors, and its innovative solutions to facilitate energy efficiency, electrification and decarbonisation. Schneider also obtained strong scores for efforts to decouple its energy consumption and carbon emissions from its business growth, and its strong investment in sustainable research and development. Corporate Knights also called out the link between executive pay incentives and Schneider Electric’s sustainability performance and ESG ratings. Toby Heaps, Corporate Knights’ CEO, states, “Schneider Electric's position at the top of the Global 100 index is remarkable. No other company has accomplished this twice. This success stems from Schneider's broad impact that goes beyond its own sustainability efforts. Schneider provides the technology to enhance energy efficiency, support decarbonisation and help other companies in their sustainable transitions.” Compiled by the Canadian media and research company, Corporate Knights, the annual Global 100 index is based on publicly disclosed, quantitative data related to resources, employees, suppliers, sustainable revenues, and investment. The Global 100 methodology uses fixed and variable key performance indicators to rank companies among their peers. Schneider Electric has been part of the Global 100 every year for the past 14 years and in the top 10 seven times - a record for its electrical equipment manufacturing peer group. Being awarded this title in both 2021 and 2025 coincides with the beginning and end of the five-year period of the latest Schneider Sustainability Impact programme. This programme measures the company’s progress across a range of transformative ESG targets set for the end of 2025 and helps it to maintain a focus on achieving both its global and local ambitions. For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

DeepCoolAI and Sanmina partner to scale AI infrastructure

DeepCoolAI, an expert in AI infrastructure (including liquid cooling and high density solutions), and Sanmina Corporation, a specialist in advanced manufacturing, have announced a strategic partnership that seeks to revolutionise AI-driven data centres. Together, the companies are striving to set new standards in efficiency, flexibility and sustainability, catering to the ever-growing demands of AI-driven, high-performance computing environments. “Our partnership with Sanmina amplifies DeepCoolAI’s mission to pioneer cooling innovations for AI-driven data centres,” says Kris Holla, Founder and CEO of DeepCoolAI. “By integrating our technology, innovation and AI customised solutions with Sanmina’s global footprint and manufacturing expertise, we empower customers to achieve greater efficiency, unparalleled performance and high availability at scale. Together, we are building a future filled with unparalleled possibilities." Hari Pillai, President, Technology Components Group at Sanmina, comments, “Leveraging Sanmina’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities around the world, as well as the depth and experience of our design and manufacturing teams that have successfully brought multiple Open Compute Project (OCP) rack and power solutions to market, this partnership ensures rapid deployment of reliable, high-quality AI solutions tailored to each customer's unique needs. “From liquid-to-liquid and liquid-to-air Coolant Distribution Units (CDUs) to prefabricated modular high density solutions, DeepCoolAI and Sanmina are equipping data centres with the tools to exceed operational goals. The portfolio also emphasises seamless rack level integration with liquid cooling and high density power, enabling customers to deploy cooling systems with high availability and flexibility at scale.” “Our strategic alliance with DeepCoolAI brings an unprecedented combination of innovation and scalability to the data centre market. Together, we’re delivering future-proof AI infrastructure solutions that optimise efficiency and sustainability for the next generation of AI driven workloads. We are committed to the fast-growing data centre market with unprecedented scalability and manufacturing capacity to help our customers to turn on data centres faster.” Innovation to set a new benchmark AI-powered precision: Innovative liquid cooling and high density technology for sustainability and rapid scalability. High availability and sustainability at the core: Solutions are designed to meet high availability, stringent environmental standards, aligning with global carbon neutrality goals. Global reach, local support: Sanmina’s robust supply chain ensures consistent delivery of solutions worldwide, backed by regional expertise and customer support.

NorthC appoints new Managing Director for DACH region

NorthC Group, based in the Netherlands, has appointed Donald Badoux as the company's new Managing Director for the DACH region. Donald assumed the new role on 1 January 2025 and will head up the regional data centre operator's business operations in Germany and Switzerland. Germany and Switzerland are key markets in Europe given the importance of data centres and fibre-optic networks as the basis for digital and critical infrastructures. Donald has held senior management positions at companies in the German data centre market for several years and will help shape NorthC’s growth and expansion. In December 2024, NorthC announced its plan to continue expanding with two new data centre locations in Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany. Donald will serve as the Managing Director for the DACH region, playing a crucial role in the company's strategy. Both the German and Swiss markets have significant growth opportunities, as the economy increasingly requires commercial data centres to support key technology developments such as digitalisation, AI, data security, and low latency. The demand for outsourcing, connectivity services, and hybrid cloud solutions is steadily rising among companies across various industries. Donald Badoux, Managing Director DACH at NorthC, comments, "I’ve been really impressed from the very start by how everyone at NorthC embraces the company's values and the fantastic sense of teamwork that reflects our people-centered culture. It’s great to see how this shows in our interactions with our customers as well." Referring to the economy, Donald adds, "The important overarching task of making a contribution to the development of digital infrastructure with distributed regional data centres and a committed team at my side motivates me to be back at the helm of a data centre operator and to expand NorthC's good and solid market position in the DACH region." A key part of the company's mission is to advocate for and implement sustainability in every country in which NorthC operates and builds new data centres. Investments in green energy solutions such as hydrogen-powered emergency systems in the Netherlands, the use of propane as a refrigerant in data centres in Germany and the reuse of waste heat are part of the strategy. NorthC wants to take a leadership role in the Benelux and DACH region in terms of sustainable data centre operations. With its innovative solution for the use of hydrogen, NorthC is a pioneer. Last year in Germany, NorthC received the ‘Data centre Award’ in the category of green data centre operations in platinum, from Vogel IT Verlag. "Sustainability is in NorthC's DNA”, states Alexandra Schless, NorthC Group's CEO. “Donald Badoux is ideally qualified to take on this leadership role and to help constructively shape this strategically relevant area. NorthC will benefit from his experience and expertise in renewable energies and their distribution which he gained in his previous management position at an energy supplier in Hesse. With a network of more than 20 regional data centres and the international expertise of our management team, we are well positioned in Europe to provide our customers with personal support and the opportunity to participate in the NorthC Digital Ecosystem.” For more from NorthC Group, click here.