Green Data Cabinets Feature Editorial

NGD Europe, a leading data center, announced it has become the first datacenter in Europe to purchase renewable energy for 100 percent of its power usage.

 

Next Generation Data Limited, the UK owner and operator of South-Wales based NGD, has appointed SmartestEnergy to supply the recently opened state-of-the-art 750,000 square feet date center facility.

 

SmartestEnergy is UK's largest purchaser of electricity from the independent generation sector. SmartestEnergy supplies independently generated electricity to large blue chip companies including Marks & Spencer, Toyota, Hitachi (News - Alert) and Eurostar.

 

Unlike other data centers, NGD Europe's on-site high capacity electricity sub-station enables connection directly to the National Grid to ensure high availability, resilience and control of power supply from grid to rack without any additional price premium.

 

NGD Europe's tenants, including BT (News - Alert) and Logica, will immediately benefit from enhanced environmental credentials for no additional price premium as well as total peace of mind from NGD Europe's on-site high capacity electricity sub-station, the company said.

 

"BT is a leading and long-standing advocate of carbon reduction and renewable energy initiatives and is therefore delighted that its managed hosting operation at NGD Europe is now totally supplied from renewable energy sources," commented Martin Balaam, managing director of BT Engage IT.

 

The pioneering renewable energy agreement will directly benefit existing and future NGD Europe customer organizations. In an industry which consumes over 2 percent of the UK's total power supply, it is a significant step to ensuring NGD's operations are as competitive, efficient and environmentally-friendly as possible.

 

Industry experts say NGD Europe's wholehearted and immediate commitment to renewable energy supply is likely to prove to be totally in-tune with industry wishes.

 

"In general, the rest of the industry remains in a state of flux over if, when, and how much it is prepared to embrace this critical issue," Mark Larard, director of the Data Center Advisory Group for global real estate advisors, said. "NGD continues to challenge industry expectations, and it will be interesting to see if others try and follow."

 

In May NGD announced a carrier connectivity licensing agreement with data centre virtual network operator Next Connex.