Equinix Issues €1.15 Billion in Green Bonds to Support Renewable Energy and Decarbonization Projects

Data center and digital infrastructure company Equinix announced today that it has issued €1.15 billion (USD $1.21 billion) in green bonds, with proceeds aimed at financing green initiatives including renewable energy and decarbonization solutions. This significant issuance reinforces Equinix’s commitment to sustainability and aligns with its long-term carbon reduction goals.

The green bond offering includes €650 million principal amount of 3.25% senior green notes due in 2031 and €500 million principal amount of 3.625% senior green notes due in 2034. This follows a $750 million green bond issued by Equinix in September 2024, establishing the company as one of the top five green bond issuers in the U.S., with a cumulative total issuance of $6.9 billion to date.

Earlier this year, Equinix updated its Green Finance Framework to detail the eligible use of proceeds from its green bond offerings. The eligible project categories under this framework include green buildings, renewable and clean energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation, decarbonization solutions, and climate change adaptation initiatives. These efforts come at a time of increasing energy demand for data centers driven by AI growth, which has posed new challenges to decarbonization efforts across the tech industry.

The surge in AI-driven demand for data centers has pushed several major technology companies, such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, to confront rising energy needs as they work towards achieving their own climate goals. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centers consumed 460 TWh of electricity in 2022, a figure that could potentially double by 2026, underscoring the critical importance of sustainable energy infrastructure in this sector.

Equinix has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50%, as well as Scope 3 GHG emissions from fuel- and energy-related activities by 50% by 2030. The company also aims to achieve 100% renewable energy use across its operations by 2030, as part of its overarching sustainability strategy.

Katrina Rymill, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance & Sustainability at Equinix, emphasized the company’s dedication to sustainability, stating, “We view green finance as an integral part of our sustainability strategy at Equinix. Our green bonds demonstrate Equinix’s continued commitment to design, build, and deliver the most reliable, secure, and sustainable data center and digital infrastructure possible to benefit our customers, our investors, and the communities in which we operate.”