Spain expands data center sector

Spain’s growing data center sector is driving demand for both renewable electricity and grid expansion. A new partnership between energy company Ignis and British developer Apto aims to address both challenges.

As reported by RenewablesNow, the companies aim to secure solar power supplies and a grid connection for a large data center to be located near Madrid. Specifically, Ignis will provide grid access, electrical infrastructure and renewable electricity. The data center will be located at Apto’s site in Fuenlabrada, south of the Spanish capital.

The agreement includes the construction of transmission lines and substations required to connect the facility to the electricity grid, as well as a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) based on solar generation.

The electricity will come from a 94 MW solar photovoltaic plant built by Ignis. The project is expected to generate approximately 171 GWh of renewable electricity annually, avoiding emissions equivalent to an estimated 19,400 tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year. The long-term agreement will give Apto a stable supply of renewable energy while supporting its sustainability goals.

Under the agreement, Ignis will also provide grid access and 82 MW of connection capacity. The company already owns renewable energy generation facilities and grid infrastructure at the connection point, allowing it to use existing electrical infrastructure to supply both its renewable energy facilities and the new data center. This approach is expected to shorten construction times and improve infrastructure efficiency.

Sustainability goes beyond electricity consumption

The Fuenlabrada site will be built on a 195,000-square-metre plot, approximately 14 kilometres from central Madrid. The total investment is expected to exceed 2 billion euros, with the project transforming a former industrial bottling plant into a modern digital infrastructure hub.

Sustainability is also reflected in the facility’s design. Instead of conventional evaporative cooling systems, the data center will use air-cooled chillers to reduce water consumption.

Apto is also a signatory to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, which aims to make European data centers climate-neutral by 2030.