In a comprehensive interview with Times Tech, Mr. Ankit Saraiya, Director of Techno Electric & Engineering Company Limited (TEECL), outlines the company’s strategic approach to meet the surging demand for data centers in India. With a focus on engineering excellence, sustainable practices, and a $1 billion investment plan, TEECL aims to build 250 MW data centers by 2030, starting with the upcoming hyper-density facility in Chennai. The company’s commitment to innovation, regulatory expertise, and environmental responsibility positions it as a key player in shaping India’s data infrastructure.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: What is driving the demand for data centers in India, and how does Techno Data Center stand out in meeting this demand?
Mr. Ankit: The data center industry in India is predicted to grow to USD 8 billion by 2026, according to an ASSOCHAM-EY report. It is expanding so rapidly that the nation is expected to become a global hub for cloud computing data centers, largely driven by technologies like artificial intelligence, analytics, and machine learning. Nasscom has pegged this growth to be at a CAGR of 5% between 2019 and 2025, which is two times faster than the world average.
Techno Electric & Engineering Company Ltd. (TEECL) is in a unique position to meet this growing demand for space, power, and cooling – the three most critical components of a data center. With four decades of interdisciplinary knowledge in the power infrastructure industry and expertise in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), TEECL can deliver specialized, superior data center infrastructure with an emphasis on carbon-neutral operations. Techno is known as a dependable partner in the expanding data center sector, firmly adhering to project timeframes, having expertise in land acquisition and regulatory compliance, tight adherence to project timeframes, and solid financials.
TimesTech: How does Techno plan to achieve its goal of building 250 MW data centers across India by 2030 with a $1 billion investment?
Mr. Ankit: We are currently constructing a 36 MW Data Center in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and plan to expand into Kolkata and Mumbai, followed by other regions in the country. The company plans to install 250 MW by 2030, with the following two projects in Kolkata and Mumbai.
We are looking forward to expanding our data center business in the near future by establishing a second data center facility in Chennai itself, contingent on the industry’s growth and development. Collaboration and partnerships are at the core of our approach. We believe in fostering strong relationships with our clients, understanding their objectives, and working together to achieve shared success. By leveraging our extensive network of industry experts, technology providers, and strategic alliances, we strive to deliver innovative and future-proof data center solutions.
TimesTech: How does TEECL’s expertise in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) benefit the development of data center infrastructure at Techno?
Mr. Ankit: TEECL has a history of providing top-notch EPC services to a range of sectors, including transportation, water, and power. Building DC infrastructure calls for comparable competencies, which include extensive market knowledge, a robust vendor ecosystem, and industry-leading generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure solutions. All these capabilities position us perfectly to execute high-value DC infrastructure projects and satisfy the demands of the market.
Building DC infrastructure in India requires an understanding of the Indian market and regulatory landscape, which TEECL possesses in spades. With this understanding, Techno is able to successfully negotiate the complicated web of licenses, approvals, and rules needed for DC projects. TEECL’s robust network of partners and suppliers enables Techno to locate the best supplies and machinery for DC infrastructure projects. Techno may also take advantage of economies of scale and bargain for advantageous prices on behalf of its customers, thanks to this network. To keep ahead of the curve in the ever-changing field of DC infrastructure, TEECL maintains a culture of innovation and continual development. TEECL’s EPC experience is a crucial facilitator of Techno’s mission to provide its clients with the newest technology and best practices.
TimesTech: Can you share key details about the upcoming hyper-density data center in Chennai and its role in Techno’s future vision for India’s data infrastructure?
Mr. Ankit: We are constructing a G+4 data center building at SIPCOT, IT Park, Siruseri, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. When complete, it will measure about 20,000 square meters of built-up area. This data center facility will be mission-critical and built for 99.999% uptime. The state-of-the-art design will be modular, easily scalable without interruptions, and have a multi-layer security configuration.
This data center is envisaged to have an IT load of about 23.4 MW. The design will be ‘Tier-III compliant’ with concurrently maintainable power distribution and cooling system design, aiming to achieve an average annualized PUE of 1.34 to 1.39.
The electrical power design will also have the option of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in case of a power failure to extend the backup time up to 16 minutes with EOL anatomy. BESS will be utilized for increasing battery backup to reduce the utilization of DG Sets and remain environmentally and socially responsible.
On the cooling front, adiabatic cooling towers for air conditioning systems will result in up to a 75% reduction in water consumption in comparison to conventional cooling towers. This will help Techno achieve a WUE of 0.012 KL/KW and significant savings in power consumption compared to air-cooled chiller systems.
Furthermore, Techno is also targeting the LEED Platinum rating, with over 25% of green cover within the data center premises.
TimesTech: What are Techno’s expansion plans beyond Chennai, such as projects in Kolkata and Mumbai, and what regions are you targeting for future growth?
Mr. Ankit: Techno aims to develop facilities in and around Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi (NCR), Chennai, and Kolkata. The second project, which is expected to be about the same size as the Chennai facility, will be launched in Kolkata.
We have cash reserves of more than Rs 900 crore and are a debt-free corporation. Every year, we bring in between Rs 200 and Rs 250 crore from our EPC business. We have adequate internal funding to complete these initiatives as well.
TimesTech: How does Techno prioritize sustainability and energy efficiency, including the use of renewable energy, in its data center projects?
Mr. Ankit: We apply sustainable principles at the beginning of the project to encourage emissions reduction, localization of material sourcing, and building energy efficiency, which ensures that long term costs are optimized. We align our data centers to company ESG goals and design our data center projects targeted to achieve a USGBC LEED v4 “Platinum” rating.
Sustainability is at the heart of our data centers, which is why we carefully analyse our carbon emissions and monitor them using the CUE metric developed by The Green Grid. We opt for renewable energy and BESS to enhance backup through battery or other technologies to ensure conservative usage of diesel generators that cause noise and air pollution. Other sustainability-related efforts include the utilization of water efficient cooling towers, rainwater harvesting and sewage treatment plants for the optimal and efficient use of water.
