In a significant move towards sustainability, Bharti Airtel has announced its plans to procure 23,000 MWh (megawatt-hours) of renewable energy by the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24 for its data center subsidiary, Nxtra.
Airtel’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint will involve acquiring stakes in renewable energy project companies established by Continuum Green India and Vibrant Energy Holdings Pte. Ltd. These stakes will power six of Nxtra’s edge data center facilities.
The procurement of renewable energy will be facilitated through an open access route, where Airtel will acquire a stake in Continuum Green’s project company. This arrangement will supply green power from solar and wind projects to Nxtra’s edge data centers in Madhya Pradesh.
Additionally, Airtel has entered into a similar stake purchase agreement with Vibrant Energy’s project company to supply solar power to its edge data center in Vijaywada.
With the inclusion of these new capacities, the total contracted renewable energy capacity for Nxtra data centers will surpass 274,000 MWh. Nxtra aims to become a Net Zero Company by 2031, emphasizing its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its operations.
Nxtra by Airtel is renowned for providing India’s largest network of secure, scalable, and sustainable data centers, with a presence in over 120 locations, serving enterprises, hyperscalers, startups, SMEs, and government entities.
To support its growth, Nxtra by Airtel has earmarked an investment of Rs 5,000 crores to double its existing capacity to over 400 MW in the coming years. This investment will also fund the development of new facilities in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, and Mumbai, further strengthening Airtel’s position in the data center industry.
This strategic move aligns Airtel with the global push for clean and sustainable energy sources, reinforcing its commitment to environmental responsibility while enhancing its data center capabilities to meet the growing demand for digital infrastructure services in India.
