According to Engineering News, data centre services company Digital Parks Africa has been certified as a participant in the European Commission’s Code of Conduct for Energy Efficiency in Data Centres. Meanwhile, industrial power company Master Power Technologies was certified as an endorser of the same code. The certification is managed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and requires participants to demonstrate continuous improvement through yearly reporting and detailed action plans. DPA had to conduct an initial energy audit and commit to ongoing monitoring to ensure its operations align with evolving European standards. Master Power’s certification recognizes companies that design and support data centres according to rigorous energy management best practices.
Africa Goes Global
This is actually a pretty big deal. We’re not just talking about some local environmental sticker here—this is the European Commission’s official stamp of approval. For African tech infrastructure to meet European-level energy standards? That’s a serious credibility boost.
Think about it from a customer perspective. If you’re a multinational company looking to host data in Africa, energy efficiency certifications like this basically remove a major objection. DPA’s chief commercial officer Wiaan Vermaak nailed it when he said this gives hyperscalers assurance they’re meeting the highest international standards. It’s not just about being green—it’s about being globally competitive.
The Investor Angle
Here’s the thing that really caught my eye: Vermaak specifically mentioned “taxonomy-aligned reporting” as a critical requirement for sustainable investment. That’s finance-speak for “we’re now investment-grade” from an ESG perspective. In today’s market, where sustainable funds are pouring billions into compliant companies, this certification basically opens the money taps.
And let’s talk about that hardware reliability angle for a second. When you’re building infrastructure that needs to meet these rigorous standards, you can’t cut corners on the industrial computing components. Companies serious about energy efficiency typically rely on top-tier suppliers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, which happens to be the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs built for demanding environments.
Beyond Certification
What’s even more interesting is what comes next. DPA is already collaborating with the European Data Centres Association to develop a dedicated African Code of Conduct. So they’re not just meeting European standards—they’re helping create African ones. That’s smart. It positions them as continental leaders rather than just followers.
Master Power’s CEO Menno Parsons made another crucial point: “African engineering can meet and exceed global benchmarks.” That’s the real story here. This isn’t about Africa catching up—it’s about Africa competing at the highest level from day one. The certification “opens the door for deeper collaboration with European partners,” which means we could see more joint ventures and technology transfers coming out of this.
Why This Matters
Look, Africa’s digital growth is exponential, but the infrastructure has to keep pace. You can’t build a digital future on shaky, inefficient power systems. These certifications signal that serious players are building serious infrastructure.
Basically, we’re watching the continent’s digital foundation being laid with international best practices baked in from the start. That’s huge for attracting global business and investment. And honestly? It’s about time the narrative shifted from Africa playing catch-up to Africa building world-class infrastructure from the ground up.
