Belgian data center developer and operator LCL Data Centers has completed the expansion of its solar park at the LCL Wallonia One data center in Gembloux, Belgium.
The expansion added 1,300 photovoltaic panels to its existing 2,000, increasing the park's overall capacity from 1MW to 1.6MW and covering a further 10 percent of the data center's energy needs.
The solar park's output is currently dedicated to Wallonia One's operations. However, LCL has indicated that the company plans to use the energy produced at the park in its other data centers through an energy-sharing agreement.
For LCL, the solar park is part of a broader push to deploy renewable energy resources across its operations. Nicolas Coppée, data center manager at LCL Wallonia One, has indicated that other renewable sources, such as wind and battery energy storage, could complement the firm's solar efforts.
Coppée said: "Belgium isn't the sunniest country, which is why supplementing solar power with wind energy and innovative battery storage solutions could significantly enhance our sustainability."
In addition, LCL hopes to deploy heat recovery technology on the site to potentially use excess heat from Wallonia One to warm nearby facilities. However, according to Coppée, “nothing is set in stone yet. It’s all about finding the right partners to set these innovative plans into motion.”
LCL has completed several high profile deals over 2024. In April, it announced an investment of €30 million ($32.6m) into the expansion of its Brussels-North facility.