DigiPlex, the Nordic leader for scalable, sustainable and secure data centers has published its fourth sustainability report for the year 2020, continuing a process which began in 2014. With several new site openings, a growing headcount and increased surge in demands from new and existing clients, the company continues to make good on its sustainability commitments and UN SDGs.
2020 saw DigiPlex open additional data centers at its Fetsund Campus, and the first at its Hobøl Campus, with customers adding more capacity at existing facilities in the Nordic region. This operational growth corresponded with an approximate 25% increase in power consumption. However, DigiPlex’s longstanding commitment to only consume 100% sustainable electricity meant that this increased load contributed zero (0) additional CO2 emissions. By contrast, a similar load in data centers powered by a typical energy grid with a mix of sustainable and fossil-fuel generation, would have emitted close to 70,000 tons of CO2 in the year.[1]
Other DigiPlex sustainability targets – from replacing lead-acid batteries, to water reuse and recycling of electronic waste, all remained on target. Our water usage has increased as we offer more operational capacity to our clients. However, water-usage efficiency (WUE) which measures liters used per KWh of actual load in the data center, remained at 0.6 l/KWh well below the industry average. We continue to invest in the use of rainwater and snowmelt in our cooling systems that are already in operation at our newest facilities.
Progress was also made on the wider sustainability agenda and support for United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). In 2020 DigiPlex pledged to support an innovative scheme in Cote d’Ivoire that pays women to collect plastic waste, thereby earning income and generating raw materials for innovative classroom construction using bricks made from plastic waste. This supports DigiPlex sustainability commitments by now also encompass the UN SDG 1 – No Poverty; SDG 4 – Quality Education; SDG 8 – Good Jobs and Economic Growth; and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals.
Commenting on the report, Wiljar Nesse, CEO, DigiPlex said; “Even against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic, which created many business challenges and accelerated digital demand and operational growth for DigiPlex, sustainability continues to remain core to our purpose. By moving to our facilities, more and more businesses are not only saving money but also embed sustainability at the foundation of their digital supply chain. I am proud over our continued progress and our commitment to net zero carbon by 2030.”
“Recognized as a sustainability leader in its markets, DigiPlex makes an excellent addition to the IPI portfolio as it fits squarely in our strategy of investing in exceptional digital infrastructure companies that are both sustainable and scalable. DigiPlex has demonstrated strong performance in reducing its environmental impact, caring for people within its company and community, and operating in a transparent, ethical manner. These advanced sustainability practices are clearly a competitive advantage for DigiPlex, and we are excited to further build upon them during our partnership with the company.” said Robert Hartog, Managing Director, IPI and Board Director, DigiPlex.
The full DigiPlex 2020 Sustainability Report can be found here.
[1] Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator | Energy and the Environment | US EPA