Equinix Signs Two Data Centre Renewable Energy Deals

Global data centre company Equinix has taken another step towards using 100 percent renewable energy by the end of 2016 by signing a deal to purchase large amounts of wind energy to power its North American data centres.

The firm signed power purchase agreements (PPA) with two energy companies that will see electricity produced from wind turbines in Oklahoma and Texas to power all of Equinix’s data centres across North America.

100 percent

The agreements will provide a combined 225 megawatts (MW) of capacity, potentially bringing Equinix’s total renewable energy coverage in North America to 100 percent by the end of 2016.

The move also effectively doubles its global usage of renewable energy, upping to 82 percent from 43 percent by the end of next year.

The first agreement is with a NexEra Energy Resources affiliate and includes the purchase of wind energy from the Rush Springs Renewable Generation Facility located in Grady and Stephens Counties, Oklahoma. This half will bring Equinix 125 MW of capacity.

The second agreement, with Invenergy, includes the purchase of wind energy from the Wake Wind Energy Facility located in Floyd and Crosby Counties, Texas.  This agreement will provide 100 MW of capacity  resulting in approximately 457,000 MWhs of clean and renewable energy generated annually in Texas.

Karl Strohmeyer, president of Equinix Americas, said: “We truly understand the importance of operating our business in an environmentally sustainable way.  These projects announced today are two significant milestones toward our commitment of reaching 100 percent renewable power across all of our data centres across the globe, and further solidify Equinix’s position as a leader in data centre sustainability.”

In July, Amazon Web Services (AWS) revealed plans to build a massive wind farm in North Carolina that will generate 670,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of wind energy every year.

The 208 megawatt wind farm, to be located in Perquimans and Pasquotank counties, North Carolina, will be known as the Amazon Wind Farm US East, and will start producing power in December 2016.

Last year, AWS committed itself to running its cloud by 100 percent renewable energy at some point in the future, but the firm has been criticised by rivals and green campaigners such as Greenpeace for not being transparent enough with its green credentials.

But Jerry Hunter, vice president of infrastructure at AWS, said that the wind farm will put AWS on track to surpass its goal of using 40 percent renewable energy globally by the end of 2016.

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