All images by © RACA Journal www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I October 2025 13
Business
COOLING AFRICA ' S DIGITAL FUTURE MEANS SCALING ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR DATA CENTRES
By Eamonn Ryan
Africa is experiencing rapid digital growth, placing immense demands on its energy infrastructure, especially for cooling.
Despite abundant natural resources, millions still lack reliable electricity, hindering development. How then can the continent scale resilient and equitable energy resources, specifically focusing on the critical cooling and power needs of its burgeoning data centre industry? This was the key topic at a panel during the Pan-African Data Centres conference, moderated by Mandy Hattingh, director at NSDV.
Apart from Hattingh, the panel consisted of:
• Ben Roberts, co-founder of Lipagas
• Duncan Abel, head of commercial at Envusa Energy
• William Theron, CEO of Deep Atomic
• Mark Acton, operations director at DBK Consulting
Roberts emphasised that energy access is inseparable from connectivity. Drawing on his experience building Africa’ s largest fibre networks, he called for strategic collaboration between energy and digital sectors. Instead of chasing energy after building, sites should be chosen deliberately. He stressed the need to connect underserved areas, such as schools, to unlock AI ' s potential in education.
Abel provided insights into the‘ trader model’ being activated in South Africa and across Africa, emphasising its benefits for large-scale energy users. Envusa, a joint venture between Anglo American and Invusa Power Solutions, aims to build nearly three gigawatts of renewables by 2030, primarily for Anglo American ' s decarbonisation objectives.
Abel explained that managing a portfolio of generation assets offers more reliable power delivery than traditional Independent Power Producer( IPP) models. " The portfolio nature of the trading approach allows us to split up projects, so as to allocate portions of projects to different off-takers," he noted.
Off-takers aren’ t tied to a single project, but to a diversified portfolio, filling in generation gaps and shoulders where onsite generation might fall short. The model also grants access to various technologies, including crucial battery storage.
Furthermore, it introduces flexibility in Power Purchase Agreements( PPAs), moving beyond rigid 20-year contracts to allow for shorter, more adaptable off-take arrangements that cater to evolving demand profiles.
NUCLEAR ' S ROLE: A CLEAN BASELOAD SOLUTION Theron articulated the potential of nuclear energy as a clean, baseload solution for Africa ' s growing energy needs. Despite historical reputational challenges, Theron asserts that nuclear
Mark Acton, operations director at DBK Consulting.
Ben Roberts, co-founder of Lipagas.
" A collaborative process across all stakeholders is essential to launch flagship renewable energy projects in Africa, leveraging new financial and ESG support to drive economic transformation " – William Theron, CEO of Deep Atomic.
All images by © RACA Journal www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I October 2025 13