Africa’s fastest growing data centre company, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), has officially launched its first major renewable energy project – a 330kW grid-tied solar pilot project at its OADC Durban facility.
The solar installation, covering the entire data centre roof with solar panels, offsets the energy consumption of the data hall during daylight hours.
Marc Matthews, Director of OADC Engineering, says the new solar installation is the first in a planned series of alternative energy projects across OADC’s facilities. A key element in the company’s strategy is to support sustainable digital transformation by improving energy efficiency and integrating renewable energy wherever possible.
“The objective of this installation was simple – to maximize use of the available roof space with solar panels. As it turns out, the array is sized perfectly to offset the energy consumption of our first data hall, which we commissioned six months ago. This means that during peak sunlight hours, the data hall operates as a net-zero energy consumer,” he says.
Following rigorous testing and commissioning, the solar system was officially handed over last month.
“Early testing and commissioning indicate that the system is performing exactly as intended. At the time of testing the system comfortably met design expectations by fully offsetting its energy consumption. Additionally, we simulated power outage conditions by disconnecting the main Eskom supply, triggering the generators. During this cycle, the solar system continued supporting the load, proving its resilience,” explains Matthews.
Expansion Plans
As part of Phase 2 at its Durban site, OADC is undertaking a significant expansion to accommodate additional data halls.
“We are exploring the potential for additional solar installations, such as carport structures outside the building to further increase our renewable energy capacity,” says Matthews.
Meanwhile, OADC is actively investigating renewable energy projects for its other facilities across Africa.
“We operate several data centres in South Africa, including Durban, two sites in Cape Town, one in Johannesburg, and additional core facilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria. We expect our next solar deployment to be at one of the Cape Town sites, followed by a larger-scale installation in Johannesburg. We are currently evaluating the feasibility of solar power for both our DRC and Nigeria sites, and in Nigeria we are also considering natural gas as an alternative to diesel, as it is considered a greener energy source,” he says.
Commitment to ESG & Energy Sustainability
Matthews highlights that OADC is also exploring the potential for wheeling – the practice of transmitting renewable energy across South Africa’s grid.
“Our transition towards more sustainable operations not only reduces operational costs but also aligns with the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies of our clients and financial lenders. Many international businesses have strict sustainability benchmarks, so being able to demonstrate progress towards greener operations is key to our growth. In addition, global lending institutions increasingly require businesses to align with ESG principles,” he concludes.
OADC’s Director of ESG, Sayuri Moodliar, says: “This solar installation highlights OADC’s continued commitment to innovative solutions that drive sustainable growth and decarbonisation. The integration of renewable energy into our operations forms part of our mission to build and operate digital infrastructure that promotes sustainable development in Africa.”
John Bandey, Founder and CEO of solar installation partner New Planet, says the system will not only create energy security and savings, but also a strong ESG contribution, improving climate risk resilience, investor attractiveness and regulatory compliance. In addition, approximately 500 metric tons of CO₂ emissions will be avoided, equating to 107 fossil fuel powered passenger cars off the road and 8,000 trees planted per year. “Our vision is to inspire people to live a new way through sustainable solutions for a new planet,” he says.
Bandey is excited about helping OADC to expand its clean energy footprint across the continent.