Australia’s grids have welcomed another megawatt (MW) of clean energy as Equinix, a global digital infrastructure company, added a new rooftop solar system at its ME1 International Business Exchange data centre in Melbourne.
Featuring more than 2000 QCell panels, the system is Equinix’s largest on-site rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system and one of the largest in any Australian data centre.
The unveiling ceremony at the Equinix ME1 data centre was officiated by Victoria’s Minister for Climate Action, for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio.
According to Minister D’Ambrosio, the installation of this system marks a significant step toward Victoria achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.
“The one-megawatt system, coupled with our Victorian Energy Upgrades program (VEU), highlights how collectively governments, businesses, households and communities can contribute to the overarching goal of a more sustainable environment,” D’Ambrosio said.
“Data centres are energy intensive, but through the VEU program Equinix has been able to install a large-scale solar system that reduces their operating costs and helps to lower their emissions.
“Since 2009, the VEU has helped more than two million households and 150,000 businesses lower their energy bills, and we look forward to saving them even more when we bring more options into the program soon.”
To fund the Melbourne rooftop solar deployment, Equinix utilised Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) through the VEU program, which aims to reduce power bills and greenhouse gas emissions across the state.
The new rooftop solar system is part of Equinix’s commitment to reducing energy costs and addressing climate change. With the support of the Victorian Government, the company has completed rooftop solar installations at eight data centres across Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, contributing approximately 1.8MW of clean energy to local power grids.
Equinix Australia Managing Director Guy Danskine highlighted the company’s commitment to decarbonising the grid and fostering a sustainable future for data centres.
“In Australia, we have invested millions of dollars in solar systems and have plans to expand this further,” he said.
“We are constantly exploring ways to deliver our digital infrastructure in the most sustainable way to address surging digital needs of businesses and support the development of the country’s digital economy.”
According to Equinix, the company is always exploring ways to deliver digital infrastructure in the most sustainable way to support the Australia’s growing digital economy.
This move aligns with Equinix’s strategy to contribute to decarbonisation and add clean energy to the local grid. Earlier this month, the company secured a long-term renewable energy power purchase agreement in the Asia-Pacific region, acquiring 151MW from the Golden Plains Wind Farm – East in Victoria.
Equinix has maintained over 90 per cent renewable energy coverage globally since 2018, achieving 96 per cent in 2022.
The company aims to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy coverage by 2030.
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