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US tech giant Microsoft and UAE AI outfit G42 will build a USD 1 bn geothermal-powered data center in Kenya, according to a statement. The data center is part of a comprehensive suite of digital investments in Kenya to accelerate digitalization and promote cloud computing and AI services in East Africa.
The details: The facility will be located in Olkaria and will be powered by renewable geothermal energy and water conservation technologies. G42 will offer access to Microsoft Azure through a new East Africa cloud region, expected to be up and running within two years of parties signing definitive agreements, Microsoft noted.
The letter of intent will be signed on Friday between Microsoft, G42, and Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communication, and Digital Economy as part of Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit to the US.
REMEMBER- Microsoft committed a USD 1.5 bn in G42 last month to position the UAE as a “global AI hub,” with a focus on expanding data center infrastructure in Central Asia and Africa.
Quality control and safety measures: The cloud region will operate as part of a “trusted data zone” based on global digital safety, privacy, and security standards, the tech-giant said. Both parties will also ensure the nation has sufficient resources and technical assurance before the hub is complete.
Kenya is a major player in the global geothermal ecosystem, ranking as the eighth largest geothermal power user in 2023, according to Reuters. With the current projects underway, Kenya is positioned to rank fourth on the global list of geothermal users and aims to produce over half of its electricity from geothermal sites, the newswire says, citing data from Global Energy Monitor shows.
G42 is all-in on Africa’s data infrastructure: The company inked an MoU with Kenya’s EcoCloud in March to establish a 100 MW data center powered by geothermal energy to promote the development of cloud computing and AI services in a bid to stimulate Kenya’s digital economy. It also signed an agreement with Mauritania’s Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Modernization Ministry in mid-2023 to develop and improve the country’s national data center.
