Digital Realty increased the proportion of its global portfolio powered by renewables by 20 percent in 2020, despite increasing its total energy consumption by 24 percent, according to its third ESG report.

In the report, Digital Realty said it added 154 megawatts of renewables in 2020, bringing the total on-site solar and wind energy under long-term contracts to 556MW. Its operational virtual power purchase agreements produced 698,662MWh of wind and solar energy in 2020.

All of Digital Realty's European properties as well as its US colocation business are 100 percent powered by renewable energy.

Half of Digital Realty's global portfolio is now powered by renewables, up from 30 percent in 2019, despite a total energy consumption increased 24 percent in 2020.

“We took meaningful action to advance our ESG priorities in 2020, establishing ambitious climate impact reduction targets, significantly expanding our social justice efforts, and enhancing the diversity of our Board,” said Digital Realty CEO A. William Stein. “We are doing our best to play a constructive, proactive role in advancing our objective of delivering sustainable growth for stakeholders, customers, employees, and the communities we serve around the world.”

QTS also released its third ESG report this week. The company said 36 percent of its was sourced from renewables as of 2020. The recently-acquired firm aims to procure 100 percent of the power required for all of its data centers from renewable sources by 2025, which CEO Chad Williams said the company was on track to achieve.

The company has eight facilities utilizing renewable power as part of its operations. Three data centers – Piscataway and Princeton, New Jersey; and Richmond, Virginia – have on-site solar panels. QTS said it has an average PUE of 1.49 in the US and 1.79 in Europe.

“We view sustainability as the ongoing stewardship of our people, customers, and communities and a key opportunity to drive shareholder value,” said Williams. “It is this sincere belief and commitment that is making QTS' sustainability program financially, culturally, and operationally sustainable.”

This week Equinix pledged to reduce its own carbon emissions, and those created by its electricity supply, by 50 percent before 2030 and would reach 100 percent renewable energy by the same year.