ByteDance, the parent company of the popular social media platform TikTok, is reportedly considering a significant investment in building a large-scale data center in Brazil, potentially powered entirely by wind energy, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.
The potential project, described as a “major investment,” would be situated in the Pecem port complex in the northeastern state of Ceará.
Sources suggest the facility could initially have a capacity of 300 megawatts (MW), with plans to potentially expand significantly, possibly reaching 900MW or even 1 gigawatt (GW) eventually.
A key aspect of the proposed development is its focus on renewable energy. ByteDance is reportedly in discussions with Casa dos Ventos, a prominent Brazilian renewable energy producer, to power the data center using wind energy generated off the country’s northeast coast.
While TikTok declined to comment on the speculation when contacted by Reuters, Casa dos Ventos acknowledged its commitment to transforming the Pecem port into a hub for technological innovation and energy transition.
“The company is developing the country’s largest data center and green hydrogen project, which will be powered by renewable energy from its portfolio,” Casa dos Ventos stated, adding, “In developing both projects, it is evaluating partnership opportunities with companies that can support their implementation.”
The reported move aligns with ByteDance and TikTok’s ongoing global expansion of data infrastructure.
The company typically leases space from colocation providers but has also been making direct investments.
Recent efforts include an $8.8 billion commitment for data centers in Thailand over five years, the opening of an AI hub in Malaysia within a Bridge Data Centres (BDC) facility, and reported considerations for a data center in Australia.
ByteDance’s Chinese operations utilize facilities from BDC’s sister company, ChinData, while its European operations are supported by Green Mountain in Norway and likely an Echelon facility in Ireland.
The Pecem location is notable.
While Brazil’s primary data center markets are clustered around São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Ceará has a smaller but existing market in Fortaleza.
The region also presents opportunities for renewable energy integration. However, challenges may exist; Reuters reported that Casa dos Ventos previously faced denial for a grid connection for a data center project in Pecem due to stability concerns from the grid operator ONS.
Brazil’s Mines and Energy Ministry is currently evaluating the feasibility of data center projects in the area and other locations.
Casa dos Ventos has prior experience linking its renewable projects to data centers, having signed a long-term agreement to supply power from its Babilônia Sul wind complex to OData’s Brazilian data center portfolio.
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