Schneider Electric and Start Campus Establish Scalable, Sustainable Foundation for AI and Cloud Infrastructure in Portugal

Schneider Electric, the global leader in energy management and automation, has partnered with Start Campus, a pioneer in the development of sustainable, AI-scale data center ecosystems, to deliver and operate its 26 Megawatt (MW) SIN01 facility in Sines.

The SIN01 facility, operational since Q4’24 and the first building of Start Campus’ 1.2-Gigawatt (GW) campus, leverages a comprehensive suite of solutions from Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure for Data Centers portfolio and Sustainability Services to set new benchmarks for resilient and sustainable workloads for AI, Cloud and GPU-accelerated computing clusters.

The groundbreaking facility, built on repurposed industrial land nearby a decommissioned power station, has been designed to deliver advanced energy efficiency. By leveraging intelligent data from Schneider Electric’s connected infrastructure solutions, and utilizing the real-time insights enabled via Schneider Electric EcoStruxure software, the company can achieve unparalleled levels of operational efficiency, reliability, and scalability at SIN01.

“Start Campus’ vision for creating one of Europe’s largest AI data center hubs has been unprecedented, and we’re honoured to have partnered with them, bringing our expertise from across the data center, buildings, energy and industrial sectors to help establish these new foundations at SIN01,” said Pablo Ruiz Escribano, Senior Vice President, Secure Power and Data Center Business, Schneider Electric, Europe. “This new digital gateway will not only encourage more investment and innovation into the region but ensures hyperscale and cloud providers can leverage world-leading data center capacity to power their AI infrastructure.”

Secure, scalable, AI-ready infrastructure
At the heart of the SIN01 facility, Schneider Electric has provided a complete suite of solutions that are digitally optimized for the data center lifecycle. They include powertrain components such as Schneider Electric Galaxy VX UPS, SF6 free switchgear – eliminating the use of harmful greenhouse gases (GHGs) – MV and LV electrical distribution systems with thermal monitoring, and additional infrastructure deployed across its high-density white space and grey space.

To ensure adherence to the highest standards of uptime, efficiency, and reliability, Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Buildings Management (BMS), Energy Management, Power Monitoring Expert (PME) and Planon software offer real-time intelligence and automation capabilities, coupled with enhanced cybersecurity measures. This is underpinned by a bespoke Schneider Electric Services agreement that includes remote monitoring, asset management, 24/7 maintenance, and Services Field Engineers stationed on-site.

In addition, through Schneider Electric’s Sustainability & Consulting Services, Start Campus benefitted from Schneider Electric’s support in the development of its Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA) strategy to procure 100% renewable energy to power its operations. By taking a comprehensive approach across the design, construction, installation and commissioning phases, Start Campus has created a secure, scalable and energy efficient infrastructure platform, tailor-made for Cloud and AI data center deployments.

“At Start Campus, we are committed to building the foundation for the next generation of sustainable, AI-ready digital infrastructure. Power is one of the most critical resources in today’s digital infrastructure. But it’s not just about access — it’s about managing power efficiently, intelligently, and sustainably at scale. Our partnership with Schneider Electric transforms the way we operate, integrating world-class energy technology and real-time visibility across every layer of our infrastructure,” said Robert Dunn, CEO of Start Campus.

Building a sustainable, digital future for Portugal, Europe and beyond
Located on Portugal’s southwest coast, SIN01 is now the largest data center facility ever commissioned in the country – and a pivotal milestone in positioning Portugal at the center of the global data economy – strengthening its role as a key hub for digital infrastructure in both the European market and globally.

SIN01 is optimised to meet the high-performance demands of AI, hyperscale cloud, and digital acceleration – leveraging Portugal’s unique position as a low-carbon, high-availability power hub. Today, the country offers one of the most competitive energy environments in Europe, supported by a growing supply of renewable capacity.

Its strategic location in Sines also provides direct access to high-capacity international networks and subsea connectivity routes - building a major new digital gateway for Europe, with fibre optic cables terminating from North America, Africa and Latin America (LATAM), while delivering competitive latencies to all strategic European and global economic centers.

Start Campus, which recently announced an €8.5 billion investment to accelerate its campus build out in response to AI demand, is one of the only operators in Europe to have fully secured over 1GW of grid power. As a Project of National Interest (PIN), Start Campus has also built strong foundations for data center and economic growth in Portugal, working with its local community to create up to 1,200 highly skilled, direct jobs, and a further 9,000 indirect roles throughout the project's duration.

www.se.com