Acciona Data Center Study Hinges on Brazil Tax Break

Acciona, a Spanish data center company, is considering a potential entry into Brazil's market, with its first project set to be located in the northeastern state of Rio Grande do Norte. However, the company's decision to proceed is contingent upon a federal tax incentive known as Redata, which is currently awaiting final approval in Congress.

The state of Rio Grande do Norte is known for its significant wind energy production, though a substantial portion of its renewable energy generation is curtailed due to grid limitations. This issue could potentially impact the reliability of powering a data center in the region. Acciona's proposed plan involves developing and operating the entire infrastructure, including a renewable generation unit, to power the data center.

The company has already made significant investments in Brazil's renewable energy sector, including a 850 MW wind project in the state of Bahia. The proposed incentive, Redata, was established by Provisional Measure 1,318 of 2025 but was repealed in February 2026. A replacement bill, Bill 278/2026, has passed the lower house and is currently being reviewed in the Senate, with the Senate's approval still pending.

Until then, Acciona's entry into the Brazilian data center market remains uncertain. The state of Rio Grande do Norte qualifies for reduced counterpart requirements, which could ease Acciona's compliance burden if the project proceeds. Brazil's data center sector is projected to grow significantly in the coming years, with estimates ranging from US$11.4 billion to 60-100 billion reais for about 200 new data centers between 2026 and 2030.

However, the country's data center capacity estimates vary widely, reflecting the market's early stage and growth potential. Acciona's entry into the Brazilian market would be competitive, as the largest announced data center projects are in the neighboring state of Ceará, notably a $200 billion project over ten years by ByteDance, TikTok's owner.