Data Centres

VIRTUS launches new data centre in Milan

VIRTUS Data Centres has confirmed plans to establish its first facility in Italy. Located in Cornaredo, within the Milan West data centre cluster, this new site represents a key milestone in VIRTUS’ European expansion strategy. The facility will be developed on a 71,000m2 brownfield site which has zoning in place for a 44,000m2 facility. With the capacity to deliver 70MW of grid power, the site will provide ample capacity to support hyperscalers, enterprises and service providers as digital infrastructure demands in Europe continue to grow. The development will commence in Q2 2025 with the demolition of existing structures and recycling of materials. The new facility is expected to be Ready for Service (RFS) in 2027, bringing additional capacity to one of Europe’s most important data centre markets. Neil Cresswell, CEO of VIRTUS Data Centres, comments, “We are very excited to be continuing our expansion in Europe at pace. Milan is an important European technology hub, and this new development demonstrates our commitment to meeting the demands of our customers for reliable, flexible, high-quality infrastructure. By repurposing a brownfield site, we are minimising environmental impact while strengthening our presence in Europe’s key digital territories.” The Milan data centre is designed to support the increasing requirements of AI workloads, hyperscale environments and high-density computing, while ensuring operational efficiency. Consistent with VIRTUS’ commitment to sustainability, the project will incorporate best practices to reduce environmental impact, including energy-efficient designs, access to renewable power, waste reduction measures and responsible water usage. This development follows VIRTUS’ recent European expansions, including significant new projects in Saunderton in Buckinghamshire, UK, as well as Marienpark and Wustermark in the Berlin region of Germany. It reinforces the company’s position as a trusted partner for organisations seeking innovative, scalable and sustainable data centre solutions.

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.

Riello UPS set for Data Centre World 2025

Critical power protection specialist, Riello UPS, is set to showcase its comprehensive range of data centre products and innovations at the industry’s largest trade event of the year. The uninterruptible power supply manufacturer is once again exhibiting at Data Centre World, which returns to ExCeL London on 12-13 March. Members of the Riello UPS team will be on hand at stand DC340 throughout the two-day event to showcase demo versions of several of its data centre UPS ranges, including the modular Multi Power and Multi Power2, the evolution of its modular offering capable of ultra-high efficiency of up to 98.1%. They will also be on hand to outline the business’s range of UPS maintenance plans, comprehensive data centre UPS design and consultancy services, and a growing library of certified CPD content for data centre consultants and engineers. Data Centre World is recognised as the largest global gathering of data centre professionals, and this year’s event is once again staged as part of the wider Tech Show London, giving attendees the opportunity to explore four other co-hosted events (Cloud Expo Europe, DevOps Live, Cloud & Cyber Security Expo, and Big Data & AI World). DCW 2025 will host more than 300 exhibitors from across the industry, along with a packed conference programme featuring over 200 hours of seminars, discussions, and speakers. Key themes for this year’s show include: • Redefining Data Centres: Sustainability, Resiliency, and Tech Innovation• Navigating the Regulation Landscape• Protecting the Data Centre: Security in the Modern World• Modernising Data Centre Infrastructures: Edge, Colocation, Hyperscales• The Impact of AI on Data Centres• Cultivating a People-Focused Data Centre Workforce Culture• Financing Data Centres: The Investor’s Perspective. Leo Craig, Managing Director of Riello UPS, comments, “Data Centre World is always our most anticipated show of the year and we can’t wait to showcase our proven range of data centre solutions again at the ExCeL. “This year’s event is the first since our successful completion of the company merger, bringing together all the wholly owned UK subsidiaries of Riello UPS under one strong, unified brand. We’re looking forward to showing how integrating these strengths, expertise, and resources into a single entity will enable us to provide enhanced product and service offering, along with expanded customer support.” For more from Riello UPS, click here.

Raxio Group achieves certification for DRC data centre

Raxio Group has announced that its 1.5MW data centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has successfully achieved the Tier Certification of Constructed Facility (TCCF) from Uptime Institute. Raxio states that the certification reaffirms its commitment to delivering world-class, reliable, and high-performance data centre infrastructure across Africa. The Tier III certification process involved a rigorous four-day, on-site evaluation conducted by Uptime Institute engineers. Every aspect of the facility’s design and construction was thoroughly tested, inspected, and verified to ensure full compliance with Tier III standards. Successfully passing every test validates that the facility has been built entirely in accordance with the approved design documents, underscoring Raxio’s technical expertise and dedication to quality. “Achieving the TCCF for our DRC data centre is a significant milestone for Raxio Group,” says Robert Saunders, CTO at Raxio Group. “This certification not only demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of our team in overcoming many challenges, but also reinforces our commitment to building and operating state-of-the-art data centres in emerging markets.” Raxio says that the achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of its engineering team, whose technical leadership was instrumental in securing this certification. Additionally, the Project Management Office team played a crucial role in overseeing construction efforts, the company tells us, while the local Technical Operations team ensured the facility was ready for the Uptime Institute’s rigorous testing. With this latest certification, Raxio now boasts three Tier III certified facilities across its growing portfolio, further solidifying its reputation as a leading provider of cutting-edge data centre solutions in Africa. For more from Raxio Group, click here.

OADC Texaf - Kinshasa achieves certification milestone

In what is reportedly a first for the DRC, Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Texaf - Kinshasa has announced the attainment of three prestigious certifications: ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and PCI DSS. The company says that the achievement underscores its steadfast commitment to delivering secure, resilient and world-class digital infrastructure services in the DRC that meet stringent global standards. ISO 27001, the globally recognised standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), validates that OADC Texaf - Kinshasa has implemented robust measures for its information security management, demonstrating its ability to reassure clients of its information security integrity. This certification also underpins the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Certification. PCI-DSS compliance establishes OADC Texaf - Kinshasa as a trusted partner for the financial services and payments industry. This globally recognised certification demonstrates adherence to stringent payments, industry security protocols and controls, playing a key role in transforming the DRC’s financial and payments ecosystem. It also provides critical reassurance in meeting the growing demands for financial inclusion among the DRC population. Finally, ISO 22301 certification; the Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) ensures uninterrupted service delivery and rapid recovery from unforeseen disruptions, providing clients with critical assurances of operational excellence and resilience - a cornerstone of trust and reliability for business demanding the utmost in operational integrity. Mohammed Bouhelal, Managing Director of OADC Texaf - Kinshasa, remarks, “Achieving ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and PCI DSS certifications is a testament to our unwavering dedication to operational excellence and client-centric service delivery. These milestones position OADC as a leader in secure and resilient digital infrastructure, supporting the growth of the DRC’s digital economy and fostering trust among local and international businesses.” These certifications hold significance for OADC Texaf - Kinshasa’s diverse clientele, the company states, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunications carriers, enterprise clients, banks and other financial services companies. By meeting and exceeding global standards, OADC Texaf - Kinshasa strengthens the foundation for secure and reliable digital services, enabling innovation and economic growth across the region. This achievement also bolsters the DRC’s position as an emerging hub for digital infrastructure in Africa, attracting foreign investment and fostering confidence in the country’s digital transformation journey. As the demand for secure, resilient and compliant data centre services grows, OADC Texaf - Kinshasa remains at the forefront, setting benchmarks for excellence and shaping the future of the digital economy in the DRC and central Africa. For more from OADC, click here.

Immersion cooling OCP completed at Stellium data centre

Stellium Datacenters, a colocation operator and provider of data centre infrastructure innovations, has announced the launch of an Open Compute Project (OCP) Proof of Concept at its HPC hyperscale data centre near Newcastle. This follows the integration phase of an immersion cooling system into Stellium’s OCP-Ready certified infrastructure in collaboration with Submer and its partners. Based on OCP design and engineering protocols, Submer’s installation represents the first ORv3 showcase deployed in Europe, a specification within the broader OCP concept that focuses on rack design and power supply regulation. In combination with ExxonMobil’s DC 3235 Super fluid, the compute is powered by MiTAC’s Capri 2 servers with AMD CPUs and server components provided by Circle B. Other key contributions to the project so far include TE Connectivity busbars, Murata power shelves, an Edge-Corenetwork switch, and FormericaOE immersion fibre cables. “As one of the first OCP-Ready data centres in the UK, Stellium is delighted to be at the heart of this significant engineering achievement, which is being followed with great interest by existing and prospective customers,” says Ed Bissell, Sales & Marketing Director, Stellium Datacenters. “With Submer and our OCP Partners, we are leading the way in immersion cooling technology capable of cost-effectively addressing the exponential cooling demands of high performance AI and ML computing. Our joint collaboration is an exemplar of how to achieve this goal and without compromise when it comes to reliability, processing performance and energy efficiency.” Oriol Chavanel, Submer Ecosystem Enablement Tech. Lead & OCP Lead, adds, “For Submer, having finally deployed this configuration this offers an opportunity to show an ORv3 configuration to current and future end customers. For those who are considering Immersion OCP-related solutions, visiting the facility will allow them to see a real hyper-converged set-up.” Steve Helvie, VP of Emerging Markets, Open Compute Project, comments, “We are excited to see this collaboration between OCP Members, Stellium Datacenters, Submer, MiTAC, Exxon Mobil, AMD, Murata and other key partners, driving innovation through this Proof of Concept for immersion cooling. Efforts like these exemplify the power of the Open Compute Project community working together to advance sustainable, energy-efficient solutions for the data centre industry. By working together to explore new approaches, these partners are not only validating cutting-edge technologies, but also contributing to the evolution of open infrastructure to meet the demands of a rapidly growing market.” Stellium, Submer, OCP Partners and OCP representatives will be hosting an open day at Stellium’s data centre on 12 February to showcase the immersion cooling installation to existing and prospective customers. For more from Stellium, click here.

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.

Portus Data Centers partners with Megaport

Portus Data Centers has announced a strategic partnership with Megaport, a Network as a Service (NaaS) provider based in Luxembourg. Megaport, which is actively seeking to expand across Europe, has deployed a point of presence (PoP) at Portus Data Centers Munich, allowing joint customers to benefit from wider reach and enhanced connectivity capabilities in Central Europe. “We’re thrilled to be working with Megaport in our Tier IV data centre in Munich to expand their global reach on our high-performance data centre infrastructure,” says Adriaan Oosthoek, Chairman at Portus Data Centers. “Now, we can provide more customers in Germany with Megaport’s wide range of connectivity solutions to drive business growth. This is aligned with Portus’ commitment to meeting the growing requirements of our customers who require maximum availability and agility to ensure their competitive edge.” Michael Reid, CEO of Megaport, adds, “Expanding to so many new European locations alongside such exceptional partners allows us to bring the network revolution further into Europe, giving new customers the ability to supercharge their business and build connections in less than 60 seconds.” Portus Data Centers Munich has been providing high quality, carrier-neutral edge colocation services throughout Germany and the surrounding regions since 2020. Located 9 miles from Munich city centre, the Portus facility enables enterprise customers and service providers to operate sustainable high-performance, low-latency IT infrastructure effectively and efficiently, supported by a responsive and skilled on-site engineering support team. For more from Portus Data Centers, 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.

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.