nLighten sets new sustainability benchmark

Francesco Marasco, VP Energy Operations and Sustainability, nLighten, explains why the European data centre provider has published the first ICFEn (Integrated Carbon-Free Energy) scores for its facilities, marking a significant milestone in data centre sustainability measurement. The innovative scoring methodology goes beyond traditional industry standards by capturing hourly carbon-free energy matching, heat recovery, and contributions to grid stability. Developed in collaboration with the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), the ICFEn framework represents a fundamental shift in how data centres measure and report their environmental impact. Unlike conventional metrics that rely on annual averages or focus solely on electricity consumption, ICFEn provides real-time transparency on how facilities contribute to decarbonisation through energy reuse and sector coupling.