HARARE – Seattle-based cloud computing firm Chillmine has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Zimbabwean independent power producer (IPP) Energywise to develop a series of solar-powered data centres across Zimbabwe.
The data centres will be powered by Energywise’s planned 100MW Runde River Solar Park, located in Zvishavane, southern Zimbabwe. Although construction timelines for the solar park and the accompanying data centres have not yet been disclosed, the project is being hailed as a significant step towards sustainable technology infrastructure in the country.
The facilities are expected to support Chillmine’s AI Infrastructure-as-a-Service and cryptomining hosting operations. Chillmine has also announced plans to deploy advanced liquid cooling technologies at the sites, underscoring its commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability.
“We are not only supporting the growth of emerging technologies but also contributing to the sustainable development of our nation’s infrastructure,” said Culven Chipfumbu, managing director of Energywise.
While specific technical details have yet to be fully confirmed, both companies indicated that the data centres will draw their energy directly from the solar facility. Chillmine’s CEO, Brian Neirby, emphasised the importance of reliable, renewable power sources for scaling energy-intensive operations such as AI computing and cryptocurrency mining.
Chillmine, founded in 2018, formally launched its online presence with the domain chillmine.io in January 2025. Most of its current executive leadership, including Neirby, joined the company at that time, signalling a renewed focus on expansion into emerging markets.
Energywise, meanwhile, is an established player in Zimbabwe’s renewable energy sector and is one of ten independent producers licensed by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA). Beyond the Runde River project, Energywise has three additional solar developments in the pipeline — two with planned capacities of 30MW each and another at 5MW.
Analysts note that this partnership reflects a growing trend of technology companies seeking out renewable energy solutions to power the next generation of data-driven services, especially in markets with high solar potential like Zimbabwe.
The companies said further details on construction schedules and data centre locations would be released in due course.
Source: Data Centre Dynamics
