February 8, 2022 – Safanad is proud to announce that one of its wholly owned portfolio companies, Element Critical, an owner and operator of tailored IT infrastructure solutions, has transitioned its Houston and Austin colocation data centers to 100% renewable energy. To achieve the company’s sustainability goals, Element Critical selected the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC., as its preferred green energy supplier.
Element Critical’s agreement with NextEra Energy Resources brings access to innovative green power service options enabling Element Critical to drive momentum toward operating a 100% carbon neutral footprint. Element Critical has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources to deliver green power from an ERCOT-connected, Texas-based, wind energy center. A subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources will provide renewable energy capacity to accommodate Element Critical and their customers’ sustainability goals now and into the future.
The significant recent data center investments Element Critical made in Texas sparked the opportunity to work with this high-quality vendor and offset its Texas carbon footprint early in the company’s Texas market expansion. “NextEra Energy Resources has been pivotal in advising our teams and accelerating our renewable energy initiatives,” states Ken Parent, CEO of Element Critical. “We are excited to announce this first initiative as part of our goal to have 100% carbon offsets in place across our entire data center portfolio by 2025. Yet, our corporate commitment extends beyond PPAs, as our ultimate goal is to directly procure and generate 100% zero-carbon energy through a combination of on-site generation projects and direct utility provisioned 100% green energy by 2030.”
For Element Critical, powering the company’s Texas-based data centers with renewable energy is the first of many milestones yet to come, as the organization continues to take bold steps to address climate concerns. The company recognizes that technology providers of all sizes must take action toward a low carbon future, seeking innovative ways to reduce emissions, target sustainability improvements, and influence renewable generation at every level.
“Our enterprise customers are seeking to improve their sustainability performance, incorporating broader environmental concerns into their provider partnerships and purchasing decisions,” shares Shane Menking, COO of Element Critical. “Element Critical is now armed with a partner that will accelerate sustainability integration and create social value across our operations. Resolute environmental commitments are the future for our industry, and ultimately we are excited to be a part of creating a sustainable digital transformational journey for our customers.”
Commenting, Andrew Trickett, Head of Investments at Safanad, said “Safanad places value on initiatives and investments that promote sustainability throughout the organization and its portfolio. We are especially proud of Element Critical and this milestone achieved. Data Centers are a growing and increasingly important part of the technological infrastructure of the future, yet they are also large consumers of electricity. Accordingly, finding practicable ways to help them transition to more renewable sources of energy and carbon neutrality can have a significant impact on our collective effort towards a sustainable future.”