UAE's Hodler Investments and China's GCL Energy to power AI data centres in Ethiopia

Companies aim to use wasted energy such as flared gas for technology infrastructure project

This photograh taken on May 26, 2024 shows a general view of the energy grid infrastructure in the city of Mekele, capital of Ethiopia's region of Tigray. - Mekele, the capital of Ethiopia's northernmost region of Tigray, is gradually crawling back to normality 19 months after a peace deal ended one of the world's deadliest recent conflicts. (Photo by Amanuel Sileshi / AFP)Show less

Wasted energy such as flared gas could be used to power artificial intelligence data centres in Ethiopia under a partnership involving a UAE company.

The UAE's Hodler Investments has linked up with GCL Energy Investment, a subsidiary of the leading Chinese energy provider Golden Concord Group, on the energy infrastructure project in the African country, they said on Thursday.

This initiative aims to use flared gas and other wasted energy for data centres that specialise in artificial intelligence and blockchain applications.

Hodler Investments is a Dubai-based firm with a portfolio that includes start-ups in energy, AI and digital asset mining, such as PermianChain, Brox Equity and Nexgen.

The collaboration is part of Ethiopia's aim to become a leader in the digital economy. The country's data centre market, valued at $95 million in 2022, is projected to reach $226 million by 2028, positioning it as a prime destination for Bitcoin mining and AI development.

Earlier this year, the Ethiopian government signed agreements to enhance its digital landscape as part of its Digital Transformation Strategy 2025.

Mohamed El Masri, managing director of Hodler Investments, emphasised the potential impact of the project. “Our strategic partnership with GCL Group will accelerate our mission to build distributed energy infrastructure that optimises wasted energy resources regionally,” he said.

GCL will provide Ethiopia with the infrastructure to use previously wasted energy under the project. The aim is to attract global data centre operators and also reduce carbon emissions.

GCL Energy Investment chief executive Wang Dong said that the partnership with aims to solve various challenges facing the energy sector in Ethiopia.

“We believe that modern technology coupled with smart capital can accelerate decarbonisation and address the renewable funding gap,” he said.

Hodler Investments is also launching a $500 million Digital Energy Infrastructure Fund to further support sustainable energy projects. The fund, which is pending regulatory approval, has attracted interest from lead investors and partners seeking energy solutions for AI and digital asset mining operations.

This partnership between the two companies follows GCL's earlier agreements with the Ethiopian government to explore significant natural gas reserves in the Ogaden Basin.

Ethiopia currently boasts an energy capacity of 5,200 megawatts, primarily from hydropower, and is actively working to expand its resources to meet the increasing demands of digital technology, the deal announcement said.

The partnership between Hodler and GCL aims to realise the ambitions of Ethiopia's digital economy while promoting sustainable energy practices that can support a variety of advanced technologies.