Telecommunications service provider Bharti Airtel will purchase 23,000 MWh of renewable energy by the fourth quarter (Q4) of the financial year (FY) 2023-24 for its data center subsidiary, Nxtra.

The company said the move aligns with Airtel’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

Airtel said it would acquire stakes in renewable energy projects set up by Continuum Green India and Vibrant Energy Holdings, which will power six of Nxtra’s Edge data center facilities.

The renewable energy procurement will occur through the open access route, where Airtel will invest in Continuum Green’s project company, ensuring a sustainable supply of green power from solar and wind energy projects to Nxtra’s Edge data centers in Madhya Pradesh.

Airtel has entered into a similar agreement with Vibrant Energy to harness solar power for its Edge data center in Vijayawada.

The total contracted renewable energy capacity for Nxtra data centers is poised to surpass 274,000 MWh.

Ashish Arora, the CEO of Nxtra by Airtel, said, “As a leader in India’s data center industry, Nxtra is committed to becoming a net zero company by 2031. We believe that India’s growth will be mirrored by its data center industry growth in the coming years and are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and leading the Green Data Center infrastructure revolution in the country.”

Nxtra aims to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its operations by 100%, aiming to reach net zero by FY 2031, with FY 2021 serving as the base year for comparison.

The company will employ a multi-faceted approach, including the accelerated adoption of green energy sources throughout its operations, implementing energy-efficient infrastructure and processes, and incorporating sustainable business practices into its workplace.

Nxtra has one of India’s largest networks of secure, scalable, and sustainable data centers, with a presence in over 120 locations.

The company plans to double its existing capacity to over 400 MW in the coming years with an investment of ₹50 billion (~$602 million).

Recently, Nxtra Data acquired an additional stake of 5.464% in Avaada MHAmravati, a subsidiary of Avaada Energy, for ₹23.9 million (~$290,663).

In March last year, Bharti Airtel and Nxtra Data acquired a 7.03% and 11.33% equity stake in Avaada KNShorapur, an SPV operating a 10 MW open access solar project in Karnataka. Airtel acquired the stake for a cash consideration of ₹17.42 million (~$228,387) to acquire 1.74 million equity shares of ₹10 (~$0.13) each.