Kao Data_ESG Report 25-26_SP - Flipbook - Page 22
Introduction
Environmental
Social Sustainability
Governance
Clean &
renewable power
According to ‘Carbon Brief’ data centres
are responsible for just over 1% of global
electricity demand and 0.5% of global CO2
emissions with the largest environmental
footprint of the sector being from electricity
usage. Furthermore, in a ‘low-end’ case
scenario proposed by S&P Global Market
Intelligence 451 Research, data centre
demand for electricity is set to double by
2030. As such, Kao Data is committed
to always matching our power use with
renewably generated power via Renewable
Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs) or via
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) from a
known location.
During 2025-26 we pioneered a landmark
PPA with Downing Renewable Developments
(DRD). The private wire Green Data Solar
Farm project will develop, build and operate a
40MW solar photovoltaic (PV) farm speci昀椀cally
for Kao Data, supplying our Harlow campus
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with solar-generated electricity. This initiative
represents a signi昀椀cant step forward in Kao
Data’s environmental strategy and is also
anticipated to be one of the 昀椀rst, groundmounted solar PV systems supplying a UK
colocation data centre campus, directly
powering Kao Data’s industrial-scale
infrastructure via solar array.
The agreement is a key step in further
decarbonising data centre operations,
supporting Kao Data’s target to become
climate neutral by 2030 and helping meet the
Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan,
while alleviating grid constraints.
Read more about:
The Green Data Solar Farm
https://www.eudca.org/documents/content/ZlZXb4bRSRefaEVqya2I_Aoea?download=0
Kao Data ESG Report 2025-26
Reducing
our emissions
Along with renewable energy Kao Data
recognises that it must address its realworld emissions to be truly resilient. One
way we do this is by addressing back-up
power related emissions. Since 2021
we have used Hydrotreated Vegetable
Oil (HVO) fuel for back-up power at Kao
Data-built facilities and build-outs at
existing facilities. This is eliminating over
90% of net CO2, signi昀椀cantly reducing
harmful greenhouse gas emissions from
our operations. We continue to horizon
scan for new and proven technologies
and opportunities that can reduce
our emissions further. Beyond our
own business Kao Data also provides
funding for renewable energy sources
or sustainable energy initiatives that
lower local carbon emissions for local
communities through our community
focused Kao SEED fund.
