A new memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between electricity companies CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP Power) and CLPe Group (CLPe), and ESR HK Limited (ESR), a real estate services and investment firm.
The memorandum outlines collaborative measures between the two companies to develop more sustainable data centres and logistic centres across Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA), to meet Hong Kong’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 within the region.
Significant Step towards Carbon Neutrality
Hong Kong’s data centre market has been performing exceptionally well, and as of 2022 is among the world’s top ten data centre markets.
However, even as demand for data centre facilities and services has grown in Hong Kong, firms remain aware of the pressing need to balance opportunities for expansion with sustainability concerns.
Under the MoU, CLP agrees to leverage their expertise in energy and infrastructure solutions to assist ESR in creating sustainable data and logistics centres projects. CLP will also provide one-stop solution and support measures on energy management for ESR, to improve energy and carbon efficiency of its data centre projects in Hong Kong and the GBA.
Representatives from CLP and ESR have both expressed optimism that the MoU will meaningfully contribute to Hong Kong’s carbon neutrality efforts by mapping out greener initiatives for Hong Kong.
CLPe Group Managing Director Mr Alex Keisser said: “As a trusted partner to deliver energy and infrastructure solutions in Hong Kong and Mainland China, CLPe is dedicated to support business customers transforming their business into low-carbon operation. With our professional expertise, we will help ESR implement comprehensive infrastructure and energy management solutions for cooling, solar, electric vehicle charging and smart technology solutions in its projects, for sustainable business development.”
Mr Jeffrey Shen and Mr Stuart Gibson, Co-founders and Co-CEOs of ESR, said that “coupled with CLP’s energy vision, experience and competence, we would strive to provide a network of agile, scalable and green digital infrastructure that interconnects businesses and individuals in the digital economy, supports our customers’ growth in scale and reach, and creates sustainable value for different stakeholders. Every step we take will bring us closer to accomplishing our green ambition.”
A fruitful collaboration between CLP and ESR towards the production of sustainable data centres could set useful standards and guidelines which could be used as metrics for future initiatives. The MoU signed between CLP and ESR is a significant step towards meeting Hong Kong’s long-term sustainability goals.