STT GDC Expands Renewable Energy Footprint in India with Major Solar PPA and Equity Stake
April 2, 2026
In a significant move underscoring the digital infrastructure sector's accelerating shift towards sustainable operations, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) has deepened its renewable energy commitments in India. The expansion of its partnership with CleanMax, a leading renewable energy firm, highlights the critical role of power sourcing in the environmentally conscious scaling of data centers, especially as demand for AI and high-density computing surges.
The Asia-Pacific data center operator has signed additional Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with CleanMax, adding 21 megawatts-peak (MWp) of dedicated solar capacity. This new solar power will complement the existing wind-solar hybrid supply already serving STT GDC India's facilities in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Beyond the power purchase, STT GDC is taking a strategic 26 percent equity investment in the underlying renewable energy project itself. This combined financial and operational commitment elevates the total hybrid renewable energy capacity secured by the two companies to 130MW across the states of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
Kuldeep Jain, Managing Director of CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Limited, commented on the industry trend, stating, "The future of digital infrastructure will be defined as much by how it is powered as by how it is built. Our expanding partnership with STT GDC India reflects a broader shift among leading digital infrastructure service providers to embed clean energy into their core business strategy." CleanMax, which boasts an operational portfolio exceeding 2 gigawatts across Asia and counts Brookfield as a backer, has previously secured PPAs with major tech firms including Equinix, Amazon, Meta, and Google.
For STT GDC India, this deal is a cornerstone of its long-term growth strategy. CEO Bimal Khandelwal noted, "Our expanded partnership with CleanMax strengthens our ability to secure renewable energy at scale, supporting the rising intensity of AI-led and high-density workloads." The company operates a substantial footprint of approximately 30 data centers across 10 Indian cities, with a critical IT load capacity surpassing 400MW. To support future expansion, STT GDC India has signed memoranda of understanding with several state governments and has concrete plans to develop AI-ready facilities in key markets like Mumbai, Noida, Pune, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.
The renewable energy push comes as STT GDC solidifies its ownership structure, following its full acquisition earlier this year by investment firm KKR and Singaporean telecom giant Singtel. This latest PPA and equity investment signal that the company's new owners are prioritizing sustainable, scalable growth aligned with the power-intensive demands of next-generation computing.
Source: datacenterdynamics
