As artificial intelligence reshapes the digital world, the race is on to power it sustainably. On May 16, 2025, Brazilian investment firm Patria Investments unveiled Omnia, a bold new platform set to pour over $1 billion into hyperscale data centers across Latin America, all running on 100% renewable energy. With construction slated to begin in Brazil by late 2025, Omnia aims to capitalize on the region’s green energy wealth and geopolitical edge to meet the soaring demands of AI and cloud computing. But in a market hungry for power and fraught with challenges, can Patria’s green gamble deliver?

A Strategic Play for the AI Boom

The global data center market is exploding, driven by AI’s insatiable appetite for processing power. The International Energy Agency projects AI-driven data center energy use could double by 2026, with global demand set to more than double by 2030. Latin America’s capacity is expected to triple, needing $50 billion in new investment, per Patria’s Felipe Pinto. Tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are scrambling to reconcile this growth with their net-zero goals, as data centers now consume 1-2% of global electricity, per the IEA.

Enter Omnia, Patria’s answer to this challenge. The platform will build and operate large-scale data centers, starting with 100+ MW campuses in Brazil, Mexico, and Chile, designed for high-density AI workloads. Unlike traditional facilities, Omnia’s centers will use liquid cooling to cut water use and run entirely on renewable energy, like a new wind project tailored for its Brazilian campus, sidestepping the grid’s constraints.

“Latin America is perfectly positioned,” said Rodrigo Abreu, Omnia’s CEO and Patria’s digital infrastructure lead. “Its vast renewable energy, competitive costs, fiber connectivity, and geopolitical neutrality make it a haven for hyperscalers.”

Patria’s no stranger to this game. In 2015, it launched ODATA, a regional data center leader sold to Aligned Data Centers in 2023 for nearly $2 billion. Omnia builds on that expertise, with a year of planning, land acquisitions, and energy partnerships already in place.

Read more: Elliott Pushes BP for Leadership Overhaul to Refocus on Fossil Fuels

Why Latin America Shines

Latin America’s allure is hard to ignore. The region boasts a 67% renewable energy matrix—think Brazil’s hydropower and Chile’s solar—and over 100 GW of untapped green potential, per Patria. Brazil alone added 4.7 GW of wind capacity in 2023, per the Global Wind Energy Council. Regulatory flexibility and geopolitical neutrality sweeten the deal, unlike the saturated U.S. and European markets, where power shortages and red tape slow growth. In São Paulo’s Barueri and Campinas, data centers already use 750 MW, rivaling small cities, per White & Case.

Omnia’s focus on sustainability aligns with hyperscalers’ carbon-neutral pledges. Microsoft, for instance, aims to power all its data centers with renewables by 2025, a goal Chile’s policies support. Omnia’s minimal water use and low environmental footprint cater to these demands, addressing the 1.7 billion liters of water data centers will guzzle daily by 2030, per White & Case.

“We’re not just building data centers,” Pinto said. “We’re shaping a sustainable digital future.”

The Challenges Lurking Beneath

It’s not all smooth sailing. Data centers are energy hogs, consuming 100-200 times more power than standard offices, per White & Case. Brazil’s energy surplus, while robust, faces transmission bottlenecks, and Omnia’s new wind project must scale fast to meet 100+ MW needs. Water scarcity in parts of Mexico and Chile could complicate cooling, even with liquid systems. Regulatory risks also loom—Brazil’s National Data Center Plan, teased by Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, could shift rules, per MegaWhat.

Competition is another hurdle. Players like Ascenty and Scala Data Centers are expanding in the region, backed by billions from private equity, per DataCenterDynamics. Patria’s $1 billion, while hefty, is a fraction of the $50 billion needed by 2030. Hyperscalers may also demand custom contracts, squeezing margins. And while Latin America’s geopolitical neutrality is a draw, political volatility—think Brazil’s 2022 election jitters—could spook investors, as noted by White & Case.

Explore OneStop ESG Marketplace: Renewable Energy Solutions

What’s Next for Omnia?

Omnia’s rollout is ambitious but measured. The Brazilian campus, targeting Tier-1 hyperscalers like AWS or Google, is the first of several, with Mexico and Chile next. Patria’s $45 billion in assets under management and infrastructure know-how give it clout, and advanced talks with clients signal demand, per Valor. The platform’s focus on AI, cloud, and high-performance computing positions it for a market projected to grow 15% annually, per McKinsey.

For Latin America, Omnia could be a catalyst. Brazil’s Carioca Solarium program, which powers municipal sites with solar, shows the region’s renewable muscle, saving $1 million yearly, per C40 Cities. Omnia’s wind project could spark similar innovation, creating jobs and cutting emissions. But success hinges on execution—securing power, navigating regulations, and outpacing rivals.

Patria’s betting big that Latin America’s green edge and digital hunger will make Omnia a cornerstone of the AI era.

As Abreu put it, “This is about meeting global tech’s needs while keeping environmental promises.”

Whether Omnia becomes a regional powerhouse or stumbles under logistical weight, its launch marks a pivotal moment for sustainable digital infrastructure.

Explore ESG Solutions on our marketplace - OneStop ESG Marketplace.

Keep abreast of the top ESG Events on OneStop ESG Events.

OneStop ESG Educate: Your go-to source for top ESG courses and training programs tailored to your needs.