It's commendable to see Nxtra by Airtel, an Indian data center provider, has joined the RE100 initiative, committing to sourcing 100% renewable energy. RE100 is a global initiative led by the Climate Group, partnering with the environmental disclosure system CDP, aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Nxtra is the fourteenth Indian company to pledge to RE100 and the only Indian data center organization to do so. The company has contracted 422,000 MWh of renewable energy to date and claims to have saved nearly 156,595 tCO2e emissions in the 2023-24 financial year through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and captive solar rooftop plants.
Nxtra operates 12 large and 120 edge data centers across India and has implemented multiple strategies to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The goal is to become net zero by the 2031 financial year.
The commitment by Nxtra is significant given the energy demands of data centers. Law firm Bird & Bird highlights that data centers currently account for 3% of global energy consumption, a figure that could exceed 10% by 2030 if no action is taken. European and US legislators have already imposed regulatory compliance on data centers, setting a precedent that other regions might follow as new data center developments continue to expand globally.

