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Equinix and renewable energy developer wpd have signed seven 20-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) that will provide over 100 MW in capacity, and more than 300GWh per year of green energy output in France.
The Power Purchase Agreement, which is one of the largest of its kind signed in France, was facilitated by Schneider Electric and includes four wind projects in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, two in Hauts-de-France and one wind farm in Pays de la Loire.
The agreement will see long term financial support to help further the deployment of renewable energy in France and make a major contribution in decarbonising the grid as well as reaffirming Equinix’s industry-leading commitment to sustainability, with the company continuing its focus on becoming climate neutral globally by 2030.
PPA solutions such as these are highly impactful tools for achieving sustainability targets for companies and demonstrate the maturity of PPAs in France. For wpd, the PPAs allow them to diversify their financing options for wind power projects being developed.
Régis Castagné, Managing Director, Equinix France, said, “We are proud to sign one of the biggest Power Purchase Agreements in French history, marking a significant milestone in France and underscoring Equinix's global dedication to investing in renewable energy solutions. Through aligning with France's own renewable energy production goals, we're delighted to be positively and proactively contributing to the nation's decarbonisation and renewable investments. Equinix is committed to making responsible business decisions that will support our customers on their sustainable journeys and the signing of this deal with wpd helps us make a big leap forward in on our own path to becoming climate neutral by 2030.”
This deal also represents a major step forward for wpd France, augmenting its position as a major player in the French and European PPA market. Wpd already has extensive expertise in this field, signing its first PPA with global industrial leaders back in 2013.
Grégoire Simon, President of wpd France, said: “Since 2013 wpd has continuously demonstrated its ability to support private companies in their decarbonisation process. PPAs help to strengthen the competitiveness of the French market and support the country's reindustrialisation, by offering economically viable energy solutions to companies willing to engage in the energy transition. We are accordingly delighted about the cooperation with Equinix in the PPAs now concluded for wind power projects at seven locations in France.”
The contracts will come into force in 2025 at latest – supporting renewable energy in France up to the year 2045. The Guarantees of Origin (GOs) generated from the project will be allocated to Equinix’s locations in all eleven of the company’s data centres in France.
This is Equinix's twentieth Power Purchase Agreement globally, adding to an overall contracted capacity of 912 MW across the US, France, Finland, Spain, Portugal and Sweden and the company cotinues significantly ramping up its investment in renewable energy across the globe.
John Powers, Vice President, Global Cleantech and Renewables, Schneider Electric, said: “We’re proud to be helping decarbonise the grid and facilitating an important milestone in the development of renewable energy distribution in France. Deals of this value in France are rare and Equinix’s long-term commitment to power purchase agreements in seven locations demonstrates its belief that the expansion of innovative digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with reducing our impact on the planet.”
Equinix was the first in the data centre industry to commit to becoming climate neutral, aligned to an approved short-term science-based target, for emissions reduction across its global operations and supply chain by 2030. It is also a founding signatory of the EU Climate Neutral Data Centre Operator Pact, which is leading advocacy and steering the development of sustainability requirements for the EU data centre industry to become climate neutral by 2030.
