Andhra Pradesh is planning a sustainability-focused framework for the expansion of data centres, with a minimum 70% of the energy used by data centres required to come from renewable sources. IT Minister Nara Lokesh outlined the approach during a fireside chat organised by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) in New Delhi. 

The renewable-energy requirement is intended to cover sources such as solar, wind, pumped storage and battery-based energy. The State is developing a data-centre cluster in Visakhapatnam as it seeks to attract large technology investments and expand its digital infrastructure. 

Water requirements are another focus of the planned expansion. Lokesh said the State is considering supplies through the Polavaram Left Bank Canal for data-centre requirements and is also incentivising companies to establish desalination plants. He said one company is already setting up such a facility. 

 

The announcement comes as Andhra Pradesh seeks to balance data-centre expansion with concerns over electricity, water and environmental requirements. The Union government has also noted that data-centre growth requires attention to energy efficiency, renewable energy use, cooling efficiency and water conservation.