President William Ruto and UAE Ambassador to Kenya Salim Ibrahim Binahmed Mohamed Alnaqbi witnessing the signing of an MOU between Kenya's EcoCloud and UAE's G42 at State House, Nairobi on March 6, 2024.

Kenya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Arab Emirates to build the first geothermal-powered data centre.

On Wednesday, Kenya's EcoCloud and the UAE's G42 signed the deal, which was witnessed by President William Ruto and UAE Ambassador to Kenya Salim Ibrahim Binahmed Mohamed Alnaqbi.

"By harnessing geothermal energy, we are not only meeting the region's data needs but also setting a new standard for eco-friendly infrastructure," said Amos Siwoi, founder and chief executive officer of EcoCloud

"This geothermal-powered data centre is a milestone towards realising Kenya's potential as a global digital hub and fulfilling our mission of making intelligence accessible to everyone, everywhere," said Peng Xiao, Group Chief Executive Officer of G42

EcoCloud is a provider of data centre solutions, and G42 is a global developer of artificial intelligence solutions.

The project intends to capitalise on Kenya's large untapped geothermal potential by constructing an initial 100MW facility that will be ramped up over time, said the companies.

Also, they said at full capacity, the 1GW mega data centre facility will reduce Kenya's reliance on fossil fuels, reduce carbon emissions, and aid in environmental conservation.

This development in Kenya comes at a time when data centres have faced scrutiny about their environmental impacts.

Their rapid expansion in Africa has continued to raise concerns about their environmental impact, particularly in terms of energy consumption, carbon emissions, and waste generation.

Over the years though several firms around the world have tried to make their data centers more eco-friendly.

‘’The collaboration between Kenya's EcoCloud and the UAE's G42 to construct a data centre will catalyse Kenya’s emergence as a global digital hub. The first-ever data centre powered by geothermal energy establishes a new benchmark for eco-friendly infrastructure and positions Kenya as a leader in sustainable industrialisation,’’ President Ruto said.