Start Campus’s Renewable & Sustainable AI Data Centre
The more AI is used, the more data centres must evolve to accommodate the energy required.
As a result, AI data centres are on the rise.
These facilities are built to manage the increasing surge of AI workloads – but with greater technology demand, comes greater challenges.
It is no secret that sustainability has been an increasing concern with data centres, particularly around cooling technology to maintain energy use.
Power availability has become the primary limiting factor for growth, with grid connections in these regions often requiring years-long waiting periods.
Yet there has been a breakthrough.
Ocean water has been used in a few places around the world as a cooling method, but never on this scale – and for an AI data centre.
From the collaboration of Schneider Electric and Start Campus, SIN01 is now underway in Sines, Portugal – and it is 100% renewable.
What is unique about SIN01 as an AI data centre?
Start Campus, a developer of sustainable data centre ecosystems, has partnered with Schneider Electric, to deliver and operate its 26MW SIN01 facility.
The facility is the first building of a planned 1.2GW campus designed specifically for AI and cloud computing workloads.
The SIN01 data centre, which became operational in Q4 2024, has been constructed on repurposed industrial land near a decommissioned power station.
It utilises solutions from Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure portfolio – a suite of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled products that provide real-time monitoring and control systems for buildings and data centres.
It is 100% renewable, because it uses water from the ocean as a cooling method, then sends it all back into the sea.
Schneider Electric delivering energy efficiency for AI workloads
At the core of the SIN01 facility, Schneider Electric has implemented a range of technical solutions to optimise power usage and operational efficiency.
These include the Galaxy VX Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems – devices that provide emergency power when the main power source fails – and SF6-free switchgear, which eliminates the use of sulphur hexafluoride, a potent greenhouse gas commonly used in electrical equipment.
The facility also employs Schneider's Buildings Management System (BMS), Energy Management software, Power Monitoring Expert (PME) and Planon software tools.
These technologies provide real-time intelligence and automation capabilities that allow for continuous monitoring and optimisation of energy usage.
Pablo Ruiz Escribano, Senior Vice President of Secure Power and Data Center Business at Schneider Electric Europe, says: “Start Campus's vision for creating one of Europe's largest AI data centre hubs has been unprecedented – and we're honoured to have partnered with them, bringing our expertise from across the data centre, buildings, energy and industrial sectors to help establish these new foundations at SIN01.”
The partnership also extends beyond hardware to include Schneider Electric's consulting services, which helped Start Campus develop its Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) strategy to source 100% renewable energy for the facility's operations.
Start Campus using technology for sustainability
The SIN01 facility is now the largest data centre ever commissioned in Portugal, marking a significant milestone in the country's digital infrastructure development.
Its strategic location in Sines provides direct access to high-capacity international networks and submarine cable routes, connecting Europe with North America, Africa and Latin America.
Portugal additionally offers competitive energy costs compared to other European markets, supported by significant renewable energy capacity.
This combination of factors has enabled Start Campus to secure over 1GW of grid power, a rare achievement in the European market where power availability constraints have become a limiting factor for data centre growth.
Robert Dunn, CEO of Start Campus says: “Power is one of the most critical resources in today's digital infrastructure. But it's not just about access — it's about managing power efficiently, intelligently and sustainably at scale.
“Our partnership with Schneider Electric transforms the way we operate, integrating world-class energy technology and real-time visibility across every layer of our infrastructure.”
Furthermore, the project has been designated as a Project of National Interest (PIN) by the Portuguese government, recognising its economic significance.
Regarding local economy, Start Campus plans to create up to 1,200 direct jobs and an estimated 9,000 indirect roles throughout the project's duration, contributing substantially to the area.
Additionally, Start Campus recently announced an €8.5bn (US$9.59bn) investment to accelerate the campus development in response to growing demand for AI computing infrastructure.
“This new digital gateway will not only encourage more investment and innovation into the region but ensures hyperscale and cloud providers can leverage world-leading data centre capacity to power their AI infrastructure,” Pablo says.
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