A partnership between Downing Renewable Developments and Kao Data will see one of the first ground-mounted solar PV systems supply a UK data centre campus. Kao Data will procure the electricity via a Power Purchase Agreement, securing long-term, dedicated access to this renewable energy source. Clinton Hasell, Chief Business Officer, Kao Data, discusses the partnership, the UK energy sector and the company’s journey to net zero.
Downing Renewable Developments, a subsidiary of Downing, has announced its first, pioneering project in the data centre sector, with a landmark agreement to develop, build and operate a 40 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) farm for Kao Data – a specialist developer and operator of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing.
The Green Data Solar Farm project will supply Kao Data’s award-winning data centre campus in Harlow with up to 40 megawatts of solar-generated electricity. This initiative represents a significant step in Kao Data’s strategy, supporting its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and enhancing energy resilience through verified renewable sources.
The private wire renewable energy project is also anticipated to be one of the first, ground-mounted solar PV systems supplying a UK colocation data centre campus, directly powering Kao Data’s industrial-scale infrastructure via solar array.
Kao Data will procure the electricity via a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), securing long-term, dedicated access to this renewable energy source. The innovative partnership will also play an important role in further decarbonising data centre operations, supporting Kao Data’s target to become fully net zero by 2030.
Crucially, the agreement to build the Green Data Solar Farm comes at a pivotal moment as the UK continues to grapple with systemic energy challenges alongside accelerated demand for renewable power.
Today the country faces some of the highest energy prices in the world, alongside grid connection delays of up to 15 years in key regions. To overcome the challenge of high energy prices, data centre operators like Kao Data, who are part of one of the UK economy’s fastest-growing sectors, are beginning to take proactive action –bridging the gap to provide innovative solutions to energy availability and security.
Groundbreaking renewable energy collaborations such as this between DRD and Kao Data demonstrate how the private sector can work hand-in-hand with local authorities to help deliver the technological and economic ambitions set out in the Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, while helping alleviate grid constraints.
Furthermore, the Green Data Solar Farm exemplifies how private wire renewable energy systems can catalyse the UK’s green transition with renewable power provision being under-written by long-term data centre capacity. This approach also encourages operators to move to a prosumer model whereby they generate their own renewable energy, secure long-term low power costs and reduce demand on the grid.
Tony Gannon, Head of Downing Renewable Developments, said: “The agreement with Kao Data reflects the growing importance of integrated clean energy solutions in digital infrastructure. With a strong track record in renewable energy deployment and a UK pipeline exceeding 6 GW, Downing is well positioned to support the evolving energy needs of mission critical assets such as data centres. This is a significant milestone for Downing as it’s our first project with a data centre operator in a sector which is growing rapidly and driving future energy demand.”
“Energy availability, power pricing and grid delays continue to be three of the leading challenges for UK data centre operators, and without decisive action and innovation, our country could lose pace in the AI race,” said Mathew Harris, Chief Financial Officer, Kao Data. “Our collaboration with DRD demonstrates how companies like Kao Data can take proactive action to solve some of the UK’s renewable energy challenges directly and deliver green power at-pace and scale to exactly where it’s needed.”
Clinton Hasell, Chief Business Officer at Kao Data, took the time to talk to Intelligent Data Centres to talk more about the partnership.
How does the PPA benefit Kao Data?
The PPA secures long-term, dedicated access to renewable energy at predictable pricing, which is essential given that the UK currently pays £1.8 billion per GW annually (four times more than the US or Nordics).
It provides Kao Data with verified, traceable green power while insulating us from volatile wholesale energy markets. Crucially, this arrangement supports energy resilience and cost stability for our customers deploying mission-critical AI and cloud workloads.
What role does the solar farm play in Kao Data’s goal to become fully net zero by 2030?
The Green Data Solar Farm is a key part of our decarbonisation strategy, providing up to 40 MW of directly sourced renewable electricity to our Harlow campus. This represents a significant step in reducing our Scope 2 emissions through verified renewable generation rather than offsetting. By securing dedicated, private-wire solar capacity, we’re embedding sustainability into our operational infrastructure rather than relying solely on grid-supplied renewable energy certificates.
Why are private wire renewable energy systems important for UK data centres?
Private wire systems allow operators to bypass grid connection delays that now stretch to 15 years in some key regions, directly accessing renewable generation at the point of consumption. They also shift data centres toward a prosumer model, where we generate our own power, secure long-term cost certainty and reduce demand on an already constrained national grid. This approach enables the sector to take proactive control of its energy requirements rather than waiting for infrastructure that may not materialise in time.
What broader national challenges does this project help address regarding the UK’s energy system?
This project demonstrates how the private sector can directly address the UK’s interconnected energy challenges: high prices, grid constraints and the slow pace of new renewable deployments. With curtailment fees already hitting £253 million in early 2025 and projected to reach £8 billion by 2030, locating energy-intensive users near renewable generation can significantly reduce waste. This collaboration also supports the Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan by showing how digital infrastructure investment can proceed without waiting for national grid upgrades.
How might this partnership influence future renewable project financing models for hyperscale or colocation operators?
Our partnership with DRD demonstrates that long-term data centre capacity can effectively underwrite renewable power provision, providing the revenue certainty that developers and investors require. This creates a replicable financing model where the predictable, baseload demand from data centres de-risks renewable infrastructure investment. We expect this approach to accelerate similar private-sector collaborations as operators seek energy security alongside sustainability.
What role should the government play in accelerating private-sector renewable energy projects linked to AI infrastructure?
At Kao Data, we believe the government should focus on streamlining planning frameworks for integrated renewable and digital infrastructure projects, particularly when they demonstrate clear economic and environmental benefits. The AI Opportunities Action Plan sets ambitious goals, but regulatory and planning processes must keep pace with the private sector’s willingness to invest. Direct engagement between government and operators on energy challenges, as demonstrated through the AI Energy Council and other initiatives and other initiatives, is essential to removing barriers and enabling the UK to compete effectively.
Do long grid connection delays risk constraining the UK’s ability to compete in AI and digital services globally?
Absolutely. Grid delays of up to 15 years fundamentally undermine the UK’s ability to attract and retain AI investment, regardless of our other competitive strengths in skills, talent and research. Our collaboration with DRD exists precisely because waiting for grid connections is not a viable strategy for meeting near-term AI infrastructure demand. Without decisive action to address grid constraints, the UK risks becoming a taker rather than a maker of AI, with investment flowing to jurisdictions that can deliver power at pace.
