An endless appetite for data doesn’t have to mean gorging on power
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 20, 2022/APO Group/ —
The amount of data we produce, distribute, and consume in our professional and social lives is ever increasing. But it’s all too easy, particularly for non-technologists, to forget that the remorseless increase in data processing and distribution can also lead to a remorseless increase in power consumption.
This dilemma is illustrated by data centres. They are the engine of the compute growth that informs, educates and entertains the world, and enables collaboration that will help us tackle the challenges of climate change.
But substantial research (bit.ly/3ClQW0x) by the International Energy Agency shows that data centres accounted for 200 to 250 TWh, or one per cent of total world electricity demand in 2020, while data transmission networks – mobile and fixed lined – accounted for 1.1 to 1.4 per cent of worldwide electricity use.
It’s a tribute to the ingenuity of the tech world that, so far, data centre operators and tech providers have managed to hold the line on energy consumption. Data centre energy use has remained fairly constant over the last ten years, even as internet traffic has expanded 15-fold. In 2020 alone, global internet traffic surged by 40 per cent.
But can technology providers maintain this level of efficiency? More and more people are connecting to the internet for work or pleasure, and emerging compute-intensive workloads such as AI or IoT are ever more demanding.
Indeed, can technology vendors take the initiative, and support these ever more demanding workloads, while simultaneously making data centres and networks more efficient, and reducing energy consumption down in the process?
At MWC in Barcelona this month, Huawei explained how the company is enabling providers and operators to meet these more demanding use cases, and process and deliver ever more data, while driving down energy consumption at the heart of the data centre, and beyond.
One way to reduce power consumption within the data centre is through the use of all-flash storage, and the all-flash storage market is forecast to grow 7.6 per cent this year according to IDC. With fewer moving parts, and higher density, SSDs require far less power – and cooling – than their traditional mechanically based hard disk forebears and are considered more reliable. Moreover, they are also more efficient from a data point of view, reducing access latency by half to 0.05ms, for example, and potentially increasing backup speed by a factor of three.
Less power, in a flash
And when it comes to the AI driven workloads that are imposing an increasing strain on data centres, Huawei’s all-flash OceanStor Dorado (bit.ly/3CNL9Bg) can improve algorithm efficiency by 60 per cent.
The platform offers both SAN and NAS, with built-in ransomware detection and protection, and delivers 30 per cent higher performance on small files and blocks. The result is higher utilisation of CPUs, helping boost overall compute efficiency within the data centre.
One way to reduce power consumption within the data centre is through the use of all-flash storage
But innovation within the data centre’s storage racks alone won’t solve the problem of increasing power consumption within the data centre. Networking too is an essential, and power hungry, element within the data centre, and beyond. And the data centre is just one component of the cloud, and the overall digitalization equation.
Huawei also used MWC to highlight its CloudFabric 3.0 strategy, which aims to reduce packet loss across networks. At the same time, the platform’s intelligent algorithms reduce opex by up to 30 per cent. Reduced opex results in less resources wasted. The result is an SDN architecture which industry consultants Tolly declared delivers the highest level of autonomous driving (prn.to/3SmAOlj) in the industry.
Meanwhile, Huawei’s CloudWAN 3.0 technology, based on its NetEngine 8000 F8 routers, unveiled at MWC, enables the construction of experience centric IP production networks and office services. The platform launches with forwarding capability of 2Tbps, which will increase to 6.4Tbps in the future. But it also features two patented technologies – SRU warm backup and a rectifier circuit – which help to deliver a 30 per cent reduction in power consumption.
The Cloud Campus 3.0 solution (bit.ly/3eJo3Ui) enables further efficiency, with its “concise structure” reducing the classic three layer model of access, aggregation and core, to just two, access and core. By transforming the access switch into a highly flexible, remote extension Huawei delivers an 80 per cent reduction in equipment management nodes.
Rectifying the power dilemma
The architecture also features Power over Ethernet technology, allowing power to be delivered to terminals over data lines. With each port requiring less than a 1W of power, overall energy consumption is reduced by 30 per cent compared to the industry average. In a campus with 2,000 unit users, that equates to a 23,800 kWh saving Huawei’s figures show. Resources are further preserved, with the PoE optical fibre network being maintenance free for 15 years.
You could think of Huawei’s vision of the Intelligent Cloud Network as the “Power Grid” of the digital world, supplying “digital” efficiently, 24 x 7. While simultaneously reducing the load on the actual power grid.
Looking even further afield, Huawei’s Fiber To The Office (FTTO) (bit.ly/3TlhHJS) and Fiber To The Machine (FTTM) solutions enable the new generation of industry 4.0 applications, such as smart factories, while again, working hard to increase efficiency.
For example, at MWC, Huawei showed how a smart healthcare network project at the Union Shenzhen Hospital delivered 10Gbps coverage, and reduced the number of O&M nodes by 60 percent, while 1000 CT images can be uploaded and downloaded within one second.
Huawei illustrated how the use of FTTM again rationalises the architecture in oil field operations from over 10 layers to just three and combines blistering speeds with secure data collection and intelligent management. Again, this reduces network maintenance costs by up to 70 per cent, while allowing unattended operations across a field of over 60,000 oil wells, all over a single network.
The architecture is similarly applicable to other heavyweight applications such as port management, power infrastructure, and metro transit. Huawei highlighted the application of its FTTM technology in a metro network, which resulted in an 80 per cent reduction in ELV room space, and a 90 per cent reduction in cabling space, while delivering network reliability of 99.999 per cent.
These are just some of the examples Huawei demonstrated at MWC this year. At the event, Huawei showcased how it supports customers in implementing innovative solutions and practices, from government and public sector through finance, transportation, energy, manufacturing, and of course, ISPs. In every scenario, Huawei focuses on reducing carbon emissions, which means that whatever customer problem the company is helping to solve, it also helps solve the biggest problem facing us all.
To go further in depth on how Huawei is changing the data centre, and the industries that rely on it, check out Huawei Enterprise at Huawei Connect 2022 (bit.ly/3VD4I85).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Huawei Enterprise.
Register as a commercial partner at Venezuela Energy Week 2027 to connect with Venezuelan operators, projects and strategic energy opportunities
CARACAS, Venezuela, October 23, 2026/APO Group/ —
International operators, oilfield service companies and strategic partners are invited to register as commercial partners for the Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) 2027 Deal Room, where companies can pursue joint ventures, service agreements, technology deployments, offtake arrangements and other commercial opportunities.
Taking place February 22–25 at the Simón Bolívar Convention Center in Caracas, the Deal Room will bring international companies into direct discussions with local operators, project developers, asset owners and regional leadership. As international companies re-engage with Venezuela’s oil and gas industry, the platform aims to facilitate project-level discussions and establish commercial relationships spanning upstream development, infrastructure, technology and energy supply.
For international operators and investors, the Deal Room provides an opportunity to identify assets and local counterparties for joint development. Venezuela’s push to increase oil production to 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2026 and 1.5 million bpd in 2027 is creating potential openings for companies with the technical expertise, operational capacity and financial resources to participate in field rehabilitation, enhanced oil recovery, drilling and production expansion. Partnerships with Venezuelan operators can provide a route to developing assets and sharing project responsibilities.
Recent agreements demonstrate how partnerships have already begun to take shape. In September, Chevron secured expanded development rights in the Orinoco Belt, underpinning plans by its Venezuelan joint ventures to invest more than $7 billion over five years. Eni also signed a 25-year contract with PDVSA to assume operatorship of the Junín 5 heavy-oil field, giving the company responsibility for its technical, financial and commercial development.
Oilfield service companies and technology providers can pursue commercial agreements supporting these activities. Demand spans drilling and workover equipment, artificial lift, engineering, digital production systems, reservoir technologies, power solutions and other services required to restore production and improve the performance of existing infrastructure.
Commercial partnerships are advancing this area. In September, Halliburton signed separate agreements with Eneva and WESCA covering development opportunities, field evaluation and technical planning, while SLB signed a framework agreement with PDVSA in June spanning field development, digital technologies and workforce training.
The commercial opportunity extends beyond upstream operations. Companies can explore technology and service partnerships supporting gas processing and transportation, refinery rehabilitation, power generation, grid infrastructure and energy logistics, creating multiple routes for international suppliers and specialist firms to establish a presence in the market and for Venezuelan companies seeking to strengthen their portfolios.
Recent agreements reflect growing momentum in these areas. In September, GE Vernova signed a strategic alliance with PDVSA to rehabilitate electrical infrastructure serving Venezuela’s oil industry. More recently, Baker Hughes partnered with PDVSA, Venezuelan engineering company Lindsayca and Fulcrum LNG to pursue gas processing, transportation and commercialization projects.
Offtake and supply agreements offer another route for strategic participation. Companies can negotiate arrangements linked to specific oil, gas or refined-product assets, while international trading and downstream partners can explore supply relationships connected to Venezuela’s expanding production and processing capacity. Trading companies Vitol and Trafigura have already secured agreements to purchase and market Venezuelan oil, while international refiners are increasingly pursuing direct supply relationships with PDVSA.
The Deal Room will also provide direct access to the institutions shaping project development and commercial activity, including the Ministry of Hydrocarbons, PDVSA and its operating leadership. These relationships can help companies identify counterparties, clarify project requirements and develop commercial frameworks around specific opportunities.
As international activity accelerates across Venezuela’s energy sector, the Deal Room offers companies a focused setting to identify partners and convert market interest into concrete commercial relationships.
International operators, service companies and strategic partners can register to engage as commercial partners at the Venezuela Energy Week 2027 Deal Room. To engage as a commercial partner email info@venezuelaenergyweek.com or visit https://apo-opa.co/4z16kLV for more information.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
Guinea-Bissau Natural Resources Minister to Join Petroguin Delegation at Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea-Conakry (MSGBC) 2026
The former head of the Senegal-Guinea-Bissau joint zone agency returns to Dakar as Chevron’s arrival and fresh seismic work are lifting interest in Guinea-Bissau’s deepwater
DAKAR, Senegal, October 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Júlio Mamadu Baldé, Guinea-Bissau’s Minister of Natural Resources, will attend MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 in Dakar at the invitation of Senegal’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Dr. El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf. National oil company Petroguin will accompany him with a delegation of its own, giving the conference a strong Bissau-Guinean presence during the most active period for the country’s offshore in nearly two decades.
Chevron’s entry in November 2025 brought a supermajor into Guinea-Bissau’s deepwater for the first time. The company operates Blocks 5B and 6B with a 90% interest in each, while Petroguin holds the remaining 10%. In April 2026, Petroguin formed a joint venture with Tender Oil & Gas covering Blocks 5C and 6C, with plans for new seismic surveys aimed at advancing the acreage toward exploration drilling.
As a longstanding participant in this important event, it will be a great pleasure for us to attend once again
Apus Energy’s Atum-1X well, spudded on the Sinapa license in September 2024 in roughly 890 meters of water, was Guinea-Bissau’s first deepwater exploration well. The project re-opened the country’s offshore acreage and reignited global interest in Guinea-Bissau’s potential as a producer in the MSGBC region. In the two years since, Petroguin has expanded the data available to explorers. On October 15, at African Energy Week in Cape Town, the company signed an agreement with Norwegian geoscience firm TGS to reprocess more than 11,000 km² of 3D seismic data, with final products expected in the fourth quarter of 2027.
Baldé took office in April 2026 after nearly two decades as Secretary General of the Agence de Gestion et de Coopération (AGC), which oversees the maritime zone jointly administered by Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. “As a longstanding participant in this important event, it will be a great pleasure for us to attend once again,” said Minister Baldé.
In Dakar, Minister Baldé and the Petroguin delegation will join Senegal’s government leadership and the international companies now evaluating acreage across the basin. The conference will also host its inaugural Data Room, offering investors direct access to regional acreage, subsurface data and partnership opportunities, as MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 positions Guinea-Bissau’s frontier blocks for global investment.
Organized by Energy Capital & Power (ECP), MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 takes place December 1–3 at the Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf in Dakar, under the High Patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and in partnership with Senegal’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. For more information and registration, visit www.MSGBCOilGasandPower.com.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
The facility is expected to become Côte d’Ivoire’s largest solar plant when operational in 2027
LONDON, October 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Côte d’Ivoire’s Poro Power solar project has received international recognition for a pioneering investment structure led by Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org/), demonstrating how African capital can be mobilised to develop essential infrastructure and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy. The facility is expected to become Côte d’Ivoire’s largest solar plant when operational in 2027.
The project won ESG Green Bond Deal of the Year for Africa at the recent Infra Global ESG Awards 2026 in London, while AFC received ESG Green Bond Arranger of the Year for Africa. The double honours recognise the innovation behind the Poro Power transaction and AFC’s role in structuring and mobilising investment for sustainable infrastructure.
Developed by Ivorian entrepreneurs, the 66-megawatt solar plant is under construction in northern Côte d’Ivoire near the city of Korhogo. It is projected to generate approximately 136 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually, meeting the needs of more than 100,000 households and benefiting an estimated half a million people.
Beyond providing homes, public services and businesses with reliable power, the project will help Côte d’Ivoire towards meeting its target of increasing renewable energy’s share of electricity generation to 45% by 2030. The Government of Côte d’Ivoire is enabling projects such as Poro Power through its initiative to encourage local private-sector participation in large-scale renewable energy projects, led by the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum and Energy under Minister Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly.
“These awards are a tremendous recognition for an Ivorian project developed to meet the needs of our own communities,” said Jean-Marc Aie, Chairman and CEO of Poro Power 1 S.A. “Our ambition is not simply to generate clean electricity, but to support businesses, create opportunities and contribute to the development of Côte d’Ivoire. The Ministry’s strategy to empower local private developers to undertake large-scale renewable energy projects, together with AFC’s investment and innovative financing structure, has been instrumental in bringing Poro Power to this stage.”
Poro Power demonstrates that African financial institutions have both the capital and the expertise to finance large-scale renewable energy infrastructure through our own markets
The €65 million financing package, equivalent to approximately FCFA 42.6 billion, was raised through a green bond — an investment instrument that enables institutions to lend money to projects delivering environmental benefits. It was the first project-finance green bond in both Côte d’Ivoire and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), establishing a precedent for French-speaking West Africa, and was led, structured and fully funded by African institutions. The transaction allowed investors to participate in both euros and CFA francs, making it also Côte d’Ivoire’s first dual-currency green bond. Together, these features demonstrate how African financial institutions can mobilise their own capital for major infrastructure projects, using financing structures suited to African markets.
AFC invested €43 million (approximately FCFA 28.2 billion) in February 2026 and acted as anchor investor, lead underwriter and co-arranger. The equivalent of a further €22 million was raised from African investors, including local and regional banks, pension funds, insurance companies and high-net worth investors.
The bond has a 15-year term, a fixed interest rate of 8.75%, and quarterly repayments following a two-year construction grace period.The financing combines the flexibility of a bond with safeguards normally used in project finance, including first-ranking security, dedicated revenue accounts and contractual protections that separate the project’s cash flows from other activities. These measures help protect investors and align repayments with the plant’s expected revenues.
By bringing together AFC’s investment alongside capital from other African institutions through a structure that accommodates both local and international currencies, the transaction offers a potential model for financing further renewable energy and infrastructure projects across the region. Its significance extends beyond Poro Power, providing a practical example of African money financing African projects and a structure that could be replicated across the continent.
“Poro Power demonstrates that African financial institutions have both the capital and the expertise to finance large-scale renewable energy infrastructure through our own markets,” said Sameh Shenouda, Executive Board Member and Chief Investment Officer of AFC. “By combining the protections required for long-term project finance with the flexibility of capital markets, we have created a structure that can attract a broader range of African investors. This is an important model for mobilising the investment needed to expand reliable electricity supply, support industry and accelerate the energy transition across the region.”
Once operational, the plant is projected to avoid approximately 72,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually — equivalent to taking around 15,600 petrol-powered cars off the road for a year.
The project includes a commitment to allocate €0.01 for every megawatt-hour of electricity generated towards to initiatives intended to benefit local communities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.