--- title: "How can India's Data Centres Actually Achieve Net Zero?" date: 2026-05-12T10:11:00+01:00 author: Alex Chisholm canonical_url: "https://kentplc.com/news-insights/indias-data-centres-net-zero" section: Blog --- 12 May 2026 Insights & Opinions, Data Centres # How can India's Data Centres Actually Achieve Net Zero? Written by Prabash Tiwari ![TL Prabhash Tiwari Web Banner]() It’s the question everyone is asking. And right now, few have a clear answer. As demand for digital infrastructure accelerates, India’s data centre market is under growing pressure to decarbonise. But achieving means so much more than reaching a target. It is a complex operational challenge, shaped by high grid carbon intensity, rapid AI-driven growth, and evolving regulation. The industry is moving beyond the idea that carbon credits alone can solve the problem. A more credible approach is emerging, built on three priorities: reduce, replace, and only then neutralise. ## Reduce: design out the problem early The most effective way to cut emissions is to avoid them in the first place. Cooling remains the largest controllable energy load in a data centre. And as AI drives rack densities upwards, traditional air cooling is reaching its limits. Liquid cooling, particularly direct-to-chip, is quickly becoming the new standard. By removing heat at source, it significantly reduces the energy required to manage thermal loads. But technology is only part of the equation. Early-stage design decisions matter just as much. Advanced modelling of the external environment can prevent heat recirculation, while optimised operating conditions can unlock more efficient cooling strategies. Every improvement at this stage reduces the scale and cost of everything that follows. ## Replace: rethink where energy comes from Once demand is reduced, attention shifts to supply. In India, the majority of data centre emissions come from the grid. That makes energy sourcing a critical lever. The Green Energy Open Access framework is changing the game, enabling operators to procure renewable power directly from solar and wind developers. This allows facilities to bypass high-carbon electricity and move towards genuinely clean energy consumption. Of course, renewable energy brings its own challenges. Intermittency, balancing, and regulatory compliance all need to be managed carefully. Mechanisms such as energy banking, along with the transfer of renewable attributes, are essential to ensuring that net zero claims are robust and defensible. Done right, this step eliminates the bulk of operational emissions. ## Neutralise: deal with what cannot be eliminated Even the most efficient, renewable-powered facility will have some residual emissions. Backup generators, refrigerants, and testing cycles. In India, these can be addressed through the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, part of the emerging national carbon market. By acquiring and retiring certified credits for remaining emissions, operators can achieve formal carbon neutrality with traceability and regulatory alignment. But this is the final step, not the strategy. Carbon credits should bridge the gap, not define the journey. What is becoming clear is that net zero data centres in India will not be achieved through a single solution. It requires a structured approach: - Reduce energy demand through efficient design - Replace high-carbon power with renewable sources - Neutralise only what remains This hierarchy is not just more sustainable. It is more credible. India’s data centre market is still evolving, and that creates an opportunity to build net zero thinking into the foundation of new infrastructure. Those who act early, focusing on efficiency, energy strategy, and regulatory alignment, will be better positioned to lead as expectations rise. Net zero is no longer a distant ambition. It is becoming a defining factor in how data centres are designed, built, and operated. Share this story [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkentplc.com%2Fnews-insights%2Findias-data-centres-net-zero) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://kentplc.com/news-insights/indias-data-centres-net-zero) [X](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https://kentplc.com/news-insights/indias-data-centres-net-zero&text=How%20can%20India's%20Data%20Centres%20Actually%20Achieve%20Net%20Zero?) Related Blogs ## You might also like [![TL Dave Blackburn Strategies Thumbnail]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/where-late-life-strategies-break-down)Insights & Opinions [Where late life strategies break down ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/where-late-life-strategies-break-down)Kent's SVP Global Late Life Assets & Decommissioning, Dave Blackburn, explores why the transition to decommissioning should begin while assets are still operating [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/where-late-life-strategies-break-down) [![TL Ian Long Thumbnail 1]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/as-oil-and-gas-developments-become-more-complex-why-early-technology-selection-matters)Insights & Opinions [As oil and gas developments become more complex, why early technology selection matters ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/as-oil-and-gas-developments-become-more-complex-why-early-technology-selection-matters)Kent's Study Manager – APAC, Ian Long, explores why early technology selection matters as oil and gas developments become more complex [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/as-oil-and-gas-developments-become-more-complex-why-early-technology-selection-matters) [![TL Ferruh E web thumb]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/why-the-data-centre-conversation-now-starts-with-substations)Insights & Opinions [Why the data centre conversation now starts with substations ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/why-the-data-centre-conversation-now-starts-with-substations)Kent Data Centres new VP of Design & Engineering, Ferruh Ertekin, details the increasing importance of substation design for future infrastructure expansion [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/why-the-data-centre-conversation-now-starts-with-substations) [![TL Carl Titchmarsh QGC Thumbnail]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/the-best-mtac-partners-never-stop-earning-their-place)Insights & Opinions [The best MTAC partners never stop earning their place ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/the-best-mtac-partners-never-stop-earning-their-place)Kent’s SVP Operations – APAC, Carl Titchmarsh, explores why the best MTAC partnerships are built on continuous improvement, not longevity [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/the-best-mtac-partners-never-stop-earning-their-place) [![Thumbnail AUS 2026 Ad 63 C Brand]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/what-were-learning-about-ccus-technology-as-the-industry-matures)Insights & Opinions [What We’re Learning About CCUS Technology as the Industry Matures ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/what-were-learning-about-ccus-technology-as-the-industry-matures)Kent’s Principal Process Engineer Chris Long details the innovations across Carbon Capture projects in the evolving market [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/what-were-learning-about-ccus-technology-as-the-industry-matures) [![Thumbnail 31]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/the-gccs-ai-race-will-be-won-on-infrastructure)Insights & Opinions [The GCC’s AI race will be won on infrastructure ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/the-gccs-ai-race-will-be-won-on-infrastructure)Kent Data Centres' Yousef Maayah details how evolving technology has led to an infrastructure challenge in the GCC, ones best suited for designers [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/the-gccs-ai-race-will-be-won-on-infrastructure) [![Yousef Maayah TL thumbnail]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/gccs-next-data-challenge-is-water)Insights & Opinions [The GCC's next data challenge is water ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/gccs-next-data-challenge-is-water)Kent Data Centres' Yousef Maayah discusses balancing increasing cooling requirements with resilient and sustainable design [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/gccs-next-data-challenge-is-water) [![TL Clinton Smith Thumbnail]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/how-far-should-a-hazop-really-go)Insights & Opinions [How Far Should a HAZOP Really Go? ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/how-far-should-a-hazop-really-go)Kent's Clinton Smith details his experience of ensuring HAZOP studies cover meaningful methodology [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/how-far-should-a-hazop-really-go) [![TL Jason Brown How to Ensure Policy Thumbnail]()](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/policy-catch-up-with-offshore-wind)Insights & Opinions [Why Policy Needs to Catch Up with Offshore Wind ](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/policy-catch-up-with-offshore-wind)Jason Brown explains how offshore wind policy can work towards catching up with the industry [Read article](https://kentplc.com/news-insights/policy-catch-up-with-offshore-wind) [](#)[](#)