London, United Kingdom, November 19, 2025- Downing Renewable Developments (DRD), a subsidiary of UK-based investment manager Downing, has entered the data-centre market through a new deal to build and operate a 40-megawatt solar farm that will directly power Kao Data’s Harlow campus. The project, announced yesterday, is one of the first private-wire solar arrays in the UK designed specifically for a colocation data-centre operator.
According to DRD, the “Green Data Solar Farm” will be connected to Kao Data through a long-term private-wire arrangement, supplying dedicated clean energy straight to the campus instead of routing it through the national grid. The company said it will develop, build and operate the site as part of its push into energy solutions for digital infrastructure.
Tony Gannon, Head of Downing Renewable Developments, said the partnership reflects how energy strategy is changing inside the UK’s data-centre sector. “This project shows how clean energy can be integrated directly into the digital economy,” Gannon said in the announcement, adding that private-wire models are becoming more important as operators look for fast, reliable and low-carbon power.
Kao Data, which runs high-performance colocation facilities and serves AI, cloud and enterprise customers, said the arrangement helps it move closer to its long-term sustainability goals. The Harlow campus has been expanding its capacity, and operators across the UK have been looking for alternatives to long grid-connection queues and rising electricity prices.
A dedicated solar supply provides a predictable daytime energy source and lowers grid dependence, even though a 40-MW array will not cover all of a hyperscale-class site’s consumption.
Industry analysts say the deal highlights a wider shift taking place in the UK and Europe, where data-centre developers are exploring on-site generation, private-wire solar, and long-term renewable power agreements to secure capacity for AI and high-density computing.
Many regions in the country face multi-year delays for new grid connections, and private-wire projects have become a practical workaround to bring clean power online faster.
Downing and Kao Data have not yet published a construction timeline or disclosed whether battery storage or additional capacity will be added later. Planning applications and detailed designs are expected to follow in the coming months.
For now, the companies say the agreement is a step toward pairing renewable energy development directly with the rising electricity needs of AI-ready data-centre campuses.
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