nLighten pioneers transparent energy procurement in France

In a bold move, nLighten has initiated an innovative renewable energy supply agreement set to revolutionise its data centre operations across France. Commencing on January 1st, 2026, this three-party arrangement heralds a shift in the company's approach to power procurement, enhancing transparency and traceability in its renewable energy partnerships across Europe.

Unlike traditional supply contracts, the agreement allows nLighten to achieve remarkable precision in tracking renewable energy consumption. This is accomplished through monitoring generation on an hourly basis from specific wind assets, providing the company with detailed insights.

The partnership comprises Axpo, Switzerland's largest power producer, an international leader in energy trading and solar and wind power marketing, alongside an independent power producer (IPP). Under the agreement, Axpo ensures a continuous power supply, taking responsibility for renewable generation from the IPP’s wind portfolio, subsequently assigned to nLighten. This structure allows Axpo to bridge any shortfalls in wind generation, ensuring uninterrupted operations.

nLighten can now point to specific wind generation assets producing carbon-free energy for its operations, thanks to the partnership's provision for detailed, asset-level insights into its renewable energy supply. This stands in contrast to traditional reliance on public grid data or post-facto renewable energy certificates.

Francesco Marasco, VP of Energy Operations & Sustainability at nLighten, shared how this arrangement represents an opportunity to transform energy procurement strategies in France. It's a departure from the reliance on France's existing carbon-free nuclear generation, allowing nLighten to maintain control over its energy sourcing with transparency.

While common in markets such as the UK and Germany, this agreement's structure represents a significant step forward for the French market, demonstrating how flexible supply structures can coexist with traditional energy models. Matthieu Espinas from Axpo highlighted the partnership's role in meeting nLighten's sustainability goals, achieving commercial viability in France.

This new model follows similar agreements nLighten has employed across Europe, including Spain and the UK. Each is tailored to local market conditions but maintains the core principle of granular renewable energy tracking.

The agreement signifies nLighten's unwavering commitment to a consistent procurement strategy, paving the way for real-time, asset-level renewable energy tracking over traditional certificate purchases. The company continues to set new benchmarks for transparency and accountability in data centre energy procurement, elevating industry standards for sustainable digital infrastructure.