D9 and Ficolo: A Unified Focus on Clean Connectivity

The article was originally published in ficolo.com in June 2022.

A few months ago, we shared the exciting news that Ficolo agreed to sell its shares to UK-based Digital 9 Infrastructure plc (D9). As the deal moves forward, what does the future hold for D9 and Ficolo? For starters, a bright — and environmentally responsible — path toward a more sustainable planet with a unified focus on clean connectivity.

With an unwavering focus on enabling sustainable global connectivity, D9 and Ficolo will join forces to help accelerate global connectivity and fuel the progress toward carbon negativity. Ficolo customers will also continue to receive the exceptional customized cloud and colocation services they have come to expect with the added advantage of access to even more services leveraging D9’s best-in-class portfolio of companies. This includes Verne Global in Iceland, a company that exploits the country’s abundant green energy, and Volta, a central London green data center.

D9’s Dedication to Sustainable Digital Connectivity
D9 is helping to bring people closer together by meeting the global demand for improved speed, reliability, and accessibility of data. The company invests in critical digital infrastructure, including subsea cables and data centers, to promote digital connectivity and close the digital divide worldwide. At the core of every investment and every business decision D9 makes is a steadfast commitment to sustainability and environmentally responsible practices.

In fact, the company’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in their name, with “9“ representing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 9 (“SDG9”): “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.” SDG9 encourages nations and organizations to bridge the global digital divide by increasing access to information and communications technology, while at the same time, decarbonizing digital Infrastructure energy usage. In other words, D9 is focused on accelerating economic growth, social development, and critical climate action.

Since their IPO in 2021, D9 has invested over £600m in digital infrastructure assets, including data center companies and subsea network service providers, to help fulfill their mission. As such, they seek to only acquire and partner with companies, like Ficolo, that share their vision for a sustainable future and meet strict environmental, social, and governance criteria.

The Important Role of Data Centers

D9 understands the powerful role digital infrastructure plays in advancing global connectivity, and data centers are an essential piece to the digital infrastructure puzzle. From websites to videos to music to critical corporate information, data centers house the data businesses and consumers generate and use every single minute of every day.

Currently, data centers consume an enormous amount of power, contributing 2% of the world’s CO2 emissions. As the demand for cloud services soars and the vast amount of data generated across the world continues to grow, employing data centers that operate efficiently and sustainably is crucial. And that is why Ficolo is a perfect addition to the D9 portfolio.

Ficolo and D9 – A Perfect Fit

As the only third-party certified climate neutral, hyperscale-level data center company in the Nordics, Ficolo is a true leader in sustainability, making us an ideal company to support D9’s vision of a climate-resilient, digitally connected world. Here’s why:

We utilize 100% renewable energy in all data centers, based on wind and solar power.

Thanks to the cool Nordic environment, we leverage free natural cooling with the ability to distribute waste heat to the district heating grid.

sed on our initiatives that support the long-term vision of low carbon and sustainability, we are the first data center company in the Nordics to receive the highest Dark Green rating from Cicero, the Norwegian climate research institute.

We achieved Climate Neutral Company certification, awarded by Swiss carbon finance consultancy South Pole, signifying our compliance with the international PAS 2060 standard developed to certify carbon-neutral operations.

We are relentless in our commitment to becoming climate negative, continuing to explore green technologies and ways to improve efficiency.

With the support of D9 and its impressive portfolio of companies, Ficolo will have the opportunity to further improve operations, achieve our goal to be carbon negative, and drive sustainable global connectivity solutions for the future.

To learn more about D9 and their purpose-driven investments, visit their website.