Electricity consumption from digital infrastructure keeps rising, driven by the growth of generative artificial intelligence and the explosion in data traffic. According to the latest World Energy Outlook of International Energy Agency (IEA), data-center electricity demand is expected to triple by 2035.
For major tech players, the priority is twofold: ensuring energy security while honoring climate commitments. They are looking for reliable, low-carbon solutions to support the rapid growth of their data centers, as highlighted by Jérôme Malka, Vice President of Energy Management for Asia-Pacific, South America, and LNG, in our February interview. Renewable energy is not only clean but also fast to deploy. Once permits are secured, a wind farm can be built in 18 to 24 months, whereas construction of an EPR-type nuclear reactor takes more than a decade.
With the renewable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) signed in October with Apple and Meta, ENGIE reinforces its position as a trusted partner for digital companies committed to decarbonization.
Why are PPAs a strategic lever for the energy transition?
These long-term renewable electricity contracts offer clients valuable price stability in a highly volatile market. At the same time, they provide ENGIE with secured revenues, enabling investment decisions for large-scale renewable projects while strengthening investor confidence. It’s a win-win model: supply security for the buyer, guaranteed revenue for the seller.
What does the ENGIE–Apple agreement include?
The 15-year contract signed with Apple involves 173 megawatts (MW) of new capacity in southern Italy. 80% of the production will directly power Apple’s operations. The remaining 20% will be injected into the grid, covering the needs of around 30,000 households.
These new installations combine two agrivoltaic plants (88 MW), two wind farms (74 MW), and the repowering of an existing site (11 MW). Once operational, they will avoid more than 160,000 tons of CO₂ per year—the equivalent of emissions from 70,000 cars.
What makes the ENGIE x Meta agreement notable?
The Swenson Ranch Solar project, currently under development in Texas for Meta, will become in 2027 the largest solar farm ever built by ENGIE in the United States. It will have 600 MW of installed capacity, and its entire output will be dedicated to Meta’s needs. This brings the total capacity of the partnership between the two companies in the US to 1.3 gigawatts (GW), spread across four major renewable projects in Texas.
The project will create 350 jobs during construction and generate $160 million in tax revenue over its lifetime. Beyond its energy performance, it illustrates how the low-carbon transition can create value for local communities.
How is ENGIE positioned in the PPA market?
With more than 3 GW of PPA contracts signed in the first nine months of 2025, after 4.3 GW in 2024 and 2.7 GW in 2023, ENGIE confirms its position as a global leader.
Nearly 40% of these contracts are signed with technology companies. Through its expertise and innovative solutions, ENGIE is supporting a more responsible digital economy by offering low-carbon, competitive, and reliable energy tailored to the sector’s needs.