Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications service provider, is taking significant steps to bolster its commitment to sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint. By the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24, Airtel plans to procure 23,000 MWh of renewable energy to power its data centre subsidiary, Nxtra.
To achieve this goal, Airtel will invest in renewable energy projects established by Continuum Green India Pvt. Ltd. and Vibrant Energy Holdings Pte. Ltd. These investments will enable Airtel to secure green energy sources for six of Nxtra’s Edge data centre facilities.
Airtel’s approach involves participating in an open access route, where the company acquires stakes in Continuum Green’s project company, responsible for supplying solar and wind power to Nxtra’s Edge data centres in Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, Airtel has entered into a similar agreement with Vibrant Energy’s project company to provide solar power to the Edge data centre in Vijayawada.
With these new initiatives, the total contracted renewable energy capacity for Nxtra data centres will surpass 274,000 MWh, solidifying Nxtra’s position as a leader in eco-friendly data centre infrastructure.
In pursuit of its sustainability goals, Airtel plans to invest INR 5,000 crores to double its existing capacity to over 400 MW in the coming years. This strategic expansion will encompass the establishment of new facilities in key locations, including Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, and Mumbai.
Ashish Arora, CEO – Nxtra by Airtel, said, “As a leader in India’s data centre industry, Nxtra is committed to become a Net Zero Company by 2031. We believe that India’s growth will be mirrored by its Data Centre industry growth in the coming years and are committed to reduce our carbon footprint and lead the Green Data Centre infrastructure revolution in the country.”
Nxtra by Airtel has committed to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its operations by 100%, i.e., reaching net zero by FY2031 (with FY2021 as the base year). It will achieve this through multiple interventions including accelerated green energy adoption across its operations, energy efficient infrastructure and processes as well as by implementing sustainable business practises at its workplace.
