DataBank, the Dallas-based data centre company, has announced its plans to install a 3,150kW rooftop solar array at its HOU3 data centre in Houston, Texas.
The firm, which specialises in colocation and data centre management services, expects the project to be the largest of its kind anywhere across the Houston metropolitan area.
When operational, the system is projected to generate approximately 4.5 million kilowatt hours annually – enough to make a meaningful dent in the facility's energy consumption – across an expected operational lifespan of 25 years.
DataBank says the system's levelised cost of energy (LCOE) will match current utility rates from day one, effectively functioning as a long-term hedge against electricity price volatility in a market that has not always been known for its stability.
The arrangement also reduces the company's reliance on renewable energy certificates purchased from third parties – instruments that have faced growing scrutiny over whether they represent genuine emissions reductions or merely accounting manoeuvres.
