The funding will likely be used solely on U.S.-based xScale buildouts, in the end including greater than 1.5 gigawatts of latest capability
International knowledge heart infrastructure firm Equinix has introduced a three way partnership with Singaporean wealth fund GIC and Canada Pension Plan Funding Board (CPP Investments) to make investments $15 billion to bolster Equinix’s knowledge heart buildouts.
Equinix will use the funding to broaden its xScale knowledge facilities, which assist AI workloads and are a part of a program launched 5 years in the past with present funding of 8$ billion. In the present day, these knowledge facilities are solely obtainable in Europe and Asia, however in February, the corporate mentioned it plans to deliver them to pick out U.S. market. Whereas the $8 billion is predicted to ship greater than 725 MW of energy capability throughout greater than 35 services throughout Europe, APAC and North America, the newly introduced $15 billion funding will likely be used solely on U.S.-based xScale buildouts, in the end including greater than 1.5 gigawatts of latest capability, mentioned Equinix.
“Because the world’s main firms construct out their infrastructure to assist key workloads equivalent to synthetic intelligence, they require the mixture of large-scale knowledge heart footprints optimized for AI coaching and interconnection nodes for probably the most environment friendly inferencing,” mentioned Adaire Fox-Martin, CEO and president or Equinix. “Our xScale and IBX choices are uniquely positioned to handle this enterprise want, enabling firms to understand the highly effective potential of AI.”
With the notoriously excessive energy wants of AI knowledge facilities already turning into obvious, Equinix has highlighted sustainability in its messaging across the xScale knowledge facilities. “Information facilities consumed an estimated 460 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electrical energy in 2022, almost 2% of all of the world’s electrical energy,” the corporate states on its web site, including that it hopes to attain 100% renewable power use by 2030.
Additional, in a press launch in regards to the JV, it mentioned: “Equinix is dedicated to delivering sustainable digital infrastructure and fascinating our suppliers and companions in provide chain accountability. Equinix has continued to make developments in the best way it designs, builds and operates its knowledge facilities with excessive energy-efficiency requirements, and all xScale knowledge facilities will likely be LEED licensed (or licensed within the regional equal).”
Equinix mentioned it can personal 25% of the JV and CPP Investments and GIC will every management a 37.5% fairness curiosity.