Intelligent Data Centres Issue 42 | Page 61

Vantage Data Centers awarded US $ 300 million green loan for VA13 facility in Northern Virginia

Vantage Data Centers , a leading global provider of hyperscale data centre campuses , has announced that it has closed on a US $ 300 million green loan in recognition of the sustainable design features of its VA13 data centre located in Northern Virginia . The loan was structured and arranged by Societe Generale , one of Europe ’ s leading investment banks offering sustainable and positive impact solutions , including green financing options .

VA13 will be a 44MW data centre located on Vantage ’ s 42-acre , 146MW mega campus in ‘ Data Centre Alley ’. The 365,000 square foot facility is currently under development and scheduled to be operational in the Autumn of this year . This will be the third data centre on the campus , which will total more than 1 million square feet across five facilities once fully developed . The campus features many unique sustainable attributes , including hyper-efficient cooling with outside air economisation using minimal water , outdoor lights powered by solar and wind energy sources , solarpowered electric vehicle charging stations and drought-resistant landscaping .
In order to qualify for a green loan , recipients must generally meet specific criteria for their sustainability measures such as water conservation and carbon emissions reduction , as well as achieving a low Power Usage Effectiveness ( PUE ).
“ Not only does this green loan expedite our pursuit of sustainable solutions for data centres , but it adds to the diversity of Vantage ’ s funding vehicles , enabling us to move quickly alongside customer demand ,” said Sharif Metwalli , Chief Financial Officer at Vantage Data Centers . “ Partnering with hyperscalers often entails rapid development which can bring a substantial impact on the environment , but with this loan , we have the flexibility to prioritise speed without sacrificing sustainability . Given its many benefits , we anticipate leveraging green financing for future developments as we continue expanding our footprint globally .”
“ Vantage is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and this loan gets us even closer to actualising our goal ,” said Amanda Sutton , Senior
Director of Sustainability , Vantage Data Centers . “ Vantage ’ s dedication to sustainable operations made us an ideal candidate for this loan and it ’ s just one more step in our journey to positively impact climate change .”
This is Vantage ’ s second successful execution of a de novo green loan . Previously the company obtained a US $ 68 million green loan as part of a multi-phase financing from Societe Generale to fund the development of a third 32MW facility on its growing Quebec City campus . This facility recently opened its doors to customers .
“ As the capital markets shift to green financing , we are thrilled to partner with Vantage to support its ongoing data centre developments ,” said Valtin Gallani , Director at Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking . “ With this financing , Vantage is likely the first data centre operator in North America to issue a Project Specific Green Loan that is based on the Use of Proceeds and we ’ re very excited to be part of Vantage ’ s next chapter of growth .” �
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