Start Campus and EDP enter agreement to accelerate renewable-powered Data Center development in Portugal

Start Campus and EDP today announced the signing of a strategic partnership marking their shared intention to accelerate next-generation, renewable-powered data center projects in Portugal, with potential expansion to other markets. Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two companies, Start Campus, a leading data center developer in Portugal, and EDP, a global leader in the energy sector, will combine their complementary capabilities to accelerate the delivery of competitive, sustainable computational capacity aligned with Europe’s digital and decarbonization ambitions.

The agreement is structured around three core pillars: accelerating renewable energy development to support the growing digital demand while enhancing grid resilience and long-term system stability; establishing EDP as Start Campus’ preferred long-term partner for green energy solutions; and exploring synergies and angles of cooperation in Sines and in future data center developments across Portugal and potentially other markets.

The partnership framework brings together two leading companies and is designed to align new development and investment in the energy and digital sectors across Portugal, initially anchored at the SINES Data Campus, reinforcing the country’s position at the forefront of Europe’s green digital and energy transition.

“Electricity demand from data centers is rising rapidly — in Europe alone, we expect around 70 TWh of additional consumption by 2030. EDP is ready to support the development of digital infrastructure that can scale reliably and sustainably, leveraging on our strong capabilities in renewable electricity and energy management”, said Ana Quelhas, Head of Hydrogen and Data Centers Business Unit at EDP. “EDP’s background and track record in clean energy development, combined with Start Campus’ expertise in developing world-class data centers, form a robust foundation to deliver renewable-powered digital infrastructure at scale, in Portugal.”

“This partnership framework reflects a shared conviction that digital infrastructure and renewable energy must be developed together, at scale and with long-term system resilience in mind,” said Robert Dunn, CEO of Start Campus. “By aligning Start Campus’ platform vision with EDP’s energy leadership and global experience supporting hyperscale digital infrastructure, we are laying the foundations for an integrated approach to digital growth — starting in Sines and extending across the country — that supports customers, strengthens the energy system and delivers sustainable economic value.”

“Davidson Kempner is pleased to support this strategic alignment as part of our long-term commitment to building resilient digital infrastructure platforms,” said Daniel Boehm, Partner and Co-Head of the European Corporates Team at Davidson Kempner. “The framework between Start Campus and EDP reflects the type of forward-looking collaboration required to enable scalable, energy-aligned digital infrastructure, underpinned by sustainability and long-term investment discipline.”

Renewable energy is central to Portugal’s power system, already supplying around 68 percent of electricity consumption in 2025 and reinforcing the country’s position as a strong base for sustainable digital infrastructure in Europe. 

Under the MoU, the parties will advance technical, commercial and strategic discussions to accelerate competitive renewable solutions that support growing digital demand, enhance grid resilience, ensure long-term price stability and reduce reliance on cross-border imports. By combining EDP’s renewables expertise with Start Campus’ data center platform, complemented by Davidson Kempner’s capital, the partnership aims to enable the efficient development of next-generation digital infrastructure across the region and contribute to the adoption of renewable electricity.

Start Campus is building and operating the SINES Data Campus, a 1.2 GW data center in Portugal, creating one of Europe’s largest and most sustainable data ecosystems with market-leading global connectivity. SINES DC provides maximum optionality for customers with powered shell, turn-key and build-to-suit solutions. The company’s advanced platform is AI-ready and addresses the future needs of the industry by integrating liquid cooling technologies into its flexible and scalable design. With a total combined investment value of an estimated €8.5bn, the campus utilises 100% renewable energy and targets an industry-leading PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of 1.1 and a WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness) of 0 by harnessing the cooling power of the ocean. 

For more information, please visit www.startcampus.pt