Data centre operator buying 80 MW of solar for Facebook

Digital Realty, a global provider of data center, collocation and interconnection solutions, has announced the signing of a virtual power purchase agreement on behalf of Facebook, Inc., to support Facebook's renewable energy goals at data center facilities leased from Digital Realty.  Under the agreement, Digital Realty has executed a long-term renewable power purchase contract to secure approximately 80 megawatts of solar power capacity for Facebook.  

Digital Realty contracted with SunEnergy1, which has developed and will own and operate the solar project, to be located within Virginia Electric and Power Company territory in North Carolina.  Under the terms of the agreement, all renewable energy certificates and environmental claims will be delivered to Facebook. 

This agreement marks the first back-to-back utility-scale renewable energy transaction between a data center provider landlord utilizing a virtual power purchase agreement to underpin the renewable energy supply dedicated to a customer.  Digital Realty worked in partnership with Facebook to structure the transaction to align with Facebook's quality standards for new renewable energy projects within the same power grid as the data center load.  

To-date, Digital Realty has contracted for approximately 745,000 megawatt-hours of renewable generation annually through long-term power purchase agreements.