Solaria taps Goldman for 3.4GW AI data center deal

Solaria Energía y Medio Ambiente SA, a Spanish solar developer, has taken on Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to help secure a sizable financial partner for its European data-center platform.

This indicates that Solaria is eager to integrate itself into the heart of the burgeoning European market for AI-based electricity. The new platform is built on a foundation of 3.4 gigawatts of already consolidated grid access in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. 

Solaria has also applied for another 5 gigawatts, underscoring the company’s desire to secure as much capacity as possible in the lead-up to industry competition. The company hopes to finalize a deal by next summer, its nearby observers said. Neither Solaria nor Goldman Sachs released publicly available information.

AI growth reshapes Europe’s power and data-center landscape.

AI is drastically changing the world’s energy demand on a massive scale. Powerful training and running complex intelligence systems on AI models require a significant amount of electricity. Analysts suggest that power consumption due to AI could quadruple by the end of the next decade. 

Meanwhile, growing pressure is already mounting on data center developers and tech companies to identify large, long-term power supplies. The trend is more pronounced in Europe. 

Energy needs from data centers are anticipated to increase dramatically, potentially generating tens of gigawatts of new renewable capacity by 2030. 

Since solar energy has been regarded as a significant alternative to traditional energy sources, and its costs are falling steadily, Solaria is also moving quickly to stay ahead. 

These commitments are pressuring hyperscalers to align with energy developers who can guarantee not only capacity but also speed — areas in which Solaria has already demonstrated strength.

The company’s home market, Spain, ranks among the most attractive to AI centers in Europe. It has ample sunlight, available land, and strong connections to undersea cables that cross the Atlantic, connecting Europe to Africa and the Americas.

By 2035, data centers in Spain could account for as much as 6% of the country’s overall electricity demand, underscoring the importance of new renewable energy capacity. Solaria steps up investments to underpin its data-center strategy.

Solaria accelerates investments to anchor its data-center strategy

There already exists 1.2 gigawatts of grid-connection rights at Solaria, which are reserved for data-center development inside the territory that belongs to Spain. For example, Solaria signed a key memorandum of understanding in 2024 with Japan’s Datasection Inc. to construct a 200-megawatt AI data center at its Puertollano complex, in the city of Puertollano.

This site features facilities in clean rooms, as well as the original manufacturing sites for photovoltaic cells, making it easily adaptable for advanced technology installations.

The Puertollano project alone will cover nearly 100,000 square metres, a reflection of Solaria’s ambition to become a leader in energy and infrastructure collaboration for the global AI community.

Solaria’s growth is supported by its strong financials. The company’s shares have now risen by almost 100% this year, thanks to investor confidence in its energy pipeline and its presence in the AI and data center space. A major part of the company’s ongoing rollout of solar projects and its goal to achieve 14.3 gigawatts of total capacity by 2028 through solar, wind, and battery storage is boosting revenues and profits.

Should Solaria find a firm to partner with on this 3.4-gigawatt platform, it could become one of Europe’s leading suppliers of clean-powered data center infrastructure. The project is a fusion of two key global transitions — the move to renewable energy and the ascendance of AI computing. For big tech companies, the deal is a potential route to long-term clean energy for next-generation data centers.

For Europe, it’s also a sign of how the continent’s energy and digital strategies are starting to connect. For Solaria, this represents a significant leap from being a top solar developer to a key player in the infrastructure supporting an AI revolution.

If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.