German wind energy developer WPD and U.S.-based digital infrastructure company Equinix have officially inaugurated the Château-Garnier wind farm in western France, marking a key step in a broader renewable energy agreement between the two firms.
The Brandes Communales project, located in Château-Garnier in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, is part of a 20-year corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) signed by the companies—one of the largest of its kind in France. The agreement covers seven wind farms across three regions, with a combined expected annual output of 300 gigawatt-hours (GWh).
All seven wind projects under the agreement—four in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, two in Hauts-de-France, and one in Pays de la Loire—are now operational. The electricity generated will supply Equinix’s 11 data centre sites in France and contribute to the company’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.
This type of power purchase agreement plays a structuring role in achieving carbon neutrality targets by providing long-term visibility for both producers and companies engaged in their energy transition,” said Grégoire Simon, President of WPD France. “For WPD, PPAs represent a strategic lever to diversify funding methods and accelerate the development of our wind projects in France.
The Château-Garnier facility includes three wind turbines with a total capacity of 12.6 megawatts (MW) and a tip height of 180 metres. It is expected to generate approximately 34,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually.
Equinix France General Director Régis Castagné said the inauguration marked a significant milestone for the company’s sustainability efforts. “This first site and the next six projects will contribute to injecting renewable energy into the French network and reducing the environmental impact of the sector,” he said.
Development of the Château-Garnier wind farm took nearly a decade and involved collaboration with local stakeholders. In June 2024, a crowdfunding initiative gave residents the opportunity to invest in the project, raising €447,000 from 229 participants.
The partnership is part of a growing trend in Europe where corporate PPAs are used to secure renewable energy supplies and support decarbonisation goals across multiple sectors.
