Quinbrook & UPP co-invest in Rowan Digital Infrastructure

London’s Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners and University Pension Plan Ontario (UPP) have expanded their renewable energy interests with a co-investment in Rowan Digital Infrastructure. Rowan is a Quinbrook portfolio company specialising in creating turnkey solutions for hyperscale data centre users, focusing on meeting high energy demands via renewable resources.

Established in 2020, Rowan Digital Infrastructure has positioned itself as a key player in renewable energy, delivering customisable data centre solutions for businesses requiring rapid scalability and efficient connectivity. This investment follows UPP’s initial involvement with Quinbrook’s Net Zero Power Fund.

Quinbrook, known for its extensive portfolio of renewable energy projects in the UK, US, and Australia, is leveraging this new investment to enhance Rowan’s capacity to deliver critical infrastructure solutions. This will cater to the increasing demand for data centres powered by green energy, an essential component in supporting the digital economy’s growth while adhering to environmental commitments.

John Lucas, managing director and North America regional lead for Quinbrook, said, “We are thrilled that UPP shares our focus on investing in energy infrastructure that helps support the net-zero transition and are very pleased to welcome them as a co-investor in Rowan, and to our broader infrastructure platform.

“The large load requirements of new-build data centres means that there is likely to be increasing investment in and demand for data centres powered by renewable energy. Rowan’s platform has been built and well placed to capture hyperscale customers’ demand for ‘build-ready’ sites powered by renewable energy solutions.”

Peter Martin Larsen, senior managing director and head of private markets at UPP, added, “We are excited to partner with Quinbrook in their mission to support the transition to a net-zero future in line with our own climate-related commitments.

“Beyond adding important inflation-hedging properties to UPP’s investment portfolio, our investment in Rowan Digital Infrastructure provides a unique opportunity to help fund the critical infrastructure required for the growth of data centres with renewable energy sources. This partnership underscores UPP’s dedication to making investments with strong and stable long-term returns for our members that can contribute to the decarbonisation of key industries and the wider economy.” 

This strategic investment strengthens UPP’s existing portfolio and aligns with its 2030 target of allocating US$1.2 billion to climate solutions.

Given their high power demands, data centres have become a hot topic in renewable energy circles. Our recent story on Ireland’s electricity consumption statistics for 2023 ably illustrated this. Its Central Statistics Office released metered consumption figures showing that data centres were responsible for over a fifth (21%) of total energy consumption.