The data centre industry is rapidly expanding, with the industry in Africa projected to exceed $3-billion by 2025, fuelled by the increasing demand for cloud computing, e-commerce, and digital services.

This is according to South African energy-solutions provider ACTOM that is positioning itself to address the sector’s growing demand for reliable and sustainable energy solutions.

ACTOM GM Sy Gourrah explains: “ACTOM is placing great emphasis on raising awareness of the role its data centre solutions play in supporting Africa’s digital transformation. With data centres forming a vital part of the continent’s future, there is an increasing need for energy infrastructure that is not only efficient and scalable, 7but also sustainable.”  

The company recently launched its data centre power solutions aimed at helping to meet the need for data storage, processing, and distribution, by ensuring the provision of a stable and sustainable power supply.

“With data centres becoming the backbone of industries like finance, entertainment, and more, it is imperative to ensure their energy needs are consistently met with reliable power infrastructure,” says Gourrah, noting that the increasing use of AI has added further pressure on the energy demands of data centres.

Traditional racks consume 5 kW to 10 kW a unit, whereas AI-focused racks demand between 30 kW to 40 kW, and even reaching 60 kW to 100 kW. This increase in rack power density not only elevates energy requirements but also complicates cooling infrastructure, as high-density AI racks generate substantially more heat.

“The energy infrastructure in many African countries is often not equipped to support these increased demands,” explains Gourrah. “To ensure data centres operate reliably, dedicated substations and power supplies must be constructed. In some cases, operators are even required to build independent power sources to guarantee continuous service.”

This has led to a demand for local manufacturers that design and construct substations tailored to data centre power requirements, enabling potentially shorter lead times and reducing the reliance on imported components.

ACTOM offers turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction, or EPC, substation services that extend beyond traditional substation design, integrating renewable energy technologies such as solar, battery storage, and hybrid systems. The company’s offering also includes power purchase agreements and bespoke energy storage solutions— designed specifically for the operational demands of data centres.