Teraco, a Digital Realty company and a leading provider of interconnection platforms and vendor-neutral colocation data centres, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with South African energy aggregator NOA to supply wind-generated renewable energy to its facilities
Reinforcing its sustainability commitment, Teraco previously announced the construction of a 120MW solar PV plant in the Free State. This latest PPA expands its renewable energy portfolio by incorporating wind power, ensuring a balanced energy mix. The agreement allows both Teraco and NOA to scale renewable energy procurement in response to growing demand.
Wind energy is essential for powering data centres that operate continuously. In South Africa, wind power generation is highest at night and in the early morning, complementing solar energy, which produces electricity during the day. By integrating both sources, Teraco enhances its renewable energy coverage.
Bryce Allan, head of sustainability at Teraco, stated, “The conclusion of this PPA supports our sustainable growth pathway. We appreciate NOA’s unique and collaborative approach in complementing Teraco’s renewable energy supply and look forward to a long partnership as we journey towards our 100% renewable energy goal.”
Karel Cornelissen, CEO of NOA, added, “NOA is proud to deliver our suite of renewable energy products to support Africa’s largest data centre operator’s ambitious renewable energy goals. Teraco is an industry leader and continues to set the bar high for renewable energy initiatives across South Africa’s data centre industry. By aggregating renewable energy from our fleet of generation facilities and third-party IPPs, we are well positioned to provide tailored and flexible solutions to help companies, like Teraco, reduce their carbon footprint.”
Renewable Energy Wheeling
Under this agreement, NOA will wheel wind-generated renewable energy from various projects to Teraco’s data centres. This energy will work alongside Teraco’s solar programme to maximise renewable energy usage. The projects will scale up gradually, with the first power expected to be delivered in 2026.
Wheeling renewable energy via existing electrical grids enables power generated in high-yield areas to be transmitted to urban users efficiently. This approach optimises renewable energy deployment and maximises generation potential.
Jan Hnizdo, CEO at Teraco, concluded, “This is an exciting time for Teraco as we take another significant step towards meeting our 100% renewable energy ambitions and those of our clients. We’re looking forward to these new wind generation facilities coming online and adding much-needed new renewable energy production to South Africa’s grid.”
Teraco secures wind power for data centres
Teraco partners with NOA to integrate wind power into its data centres, advancing its 100% renewable energy goal in South Africa. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
