Accelerating to Zero Emission Cloud Services by 2030

Luc, the journey to zero emission cloud services boils down to five crucial steps. Can you walk us through them?

Luc Greefs (LG): Absolutely. Step one is securing 100% of our data centers’ energy from clean, self-generated sources. We’re making this happen with our own wind turbine — set to be up and running in early 2026 in Tessenderlo (BE) — plus a solar park powering us in Lommel (BE) — which will be operational at the end of 2025. Together, they will already cover all the energy our data centers consume.

"Together, the wind turbine and solar park will already cover all the energy our data centers consume."

But that’s just the starting point.

LG: Energy coverage lays the foundation, but to truly reduce emissions even more, we boost efficiency within the data centers themselves. Step two focuses on optimizing utilization of our hardware systems and eliminating the waste of underused machines. This applies especially to our own Cegeka Cloud infrastructure. For collocated servers, we can’t control usage, but we optimize everything within our influence.

Optimizing the use of our systems is critical, since each new machine carries a significant carbon footprint. The smarter we manage our assets, the less we need to invest in new hardware — dramatically cutting CO2 emissions. Beyond that, step three involves our datacenter infrastructure: our emergency generators are now running on biofuel instead of diesel and recently we switched our data center’s fire suppression gas to a carbon-neutral alternative.

"Instead of discarding and recycling equipment we no longer need, we refurbish or repurpose it."

What role does the circular economy play in this journey?

LG: That’s step four. Instead of discarding and recycling equipment we no longer need, we refurbish or repurpose it — partnering with HPE to give our systems a second life. This approach significantly reduces waste and cuts our carbon footprint even further.

With all the previous steps, we will not be able to reach zero emissions. So, the final and fifth step is carbon compensation — but we will not take shortcuts by buying carbon credits on the open market. That’s not how we want to operate.

Instead, we will invest directly in social-impact projects focused on reforestation for example — planting hectares of “green lungs” and restoring “blue lungs” like seagrass beds and mangroves. We will collaborate closely with local communities, funding them to grow and maintain these critical ecosystems. And on the way, during this journey, we will look for other ways to reduce emissions. It is top of mind.

"We don’t take shortcuts by buying carbon credits on the open market. That’s not how we want to operate."

And with all these pieces in place, you’ll be able to offer zero emission cloud services globally?

LG: Exactly. It’s an endeavor but that’s the vision we’re making real — delivering sustainable, zero emission cloud services anywhere in the world.