Strategic Buyouts in the Green Data Center Sector: Assessing Global Infrastructure Partners' Potential Acquisition of Aligned Data Centers

The global data center sector is undergoing a seismic shift as decarbonization imperatives collide with the explosive demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. At the heart of this transformation is the potential $40 billion acquisition of Aligned Data Centers by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a deal that crystallizes the strategic alignment of green infrastructure investing with the digital economy's energy-intensive future. This analysis examines the transaction through the lens of decarbonization goals, digital demand dynamics, and the evolving landscape of sustainable infrastructure capital allocation.

Market Dynamics: Green Data Centers as a $300 Billion Opportunity

The green data center market is surging, driven by regulatory pressure, corporate sustainability commitments, and the technical demands of AI. By 2025, the sector is valued at $79.8 billion, with projections to reach $295.8 billion by 2035 at a 14% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), according to a TechFundingNews analysis. This acceleration is fueled by hyperscale operators transitioning to 100% renewable power, adoption of AI-driven energy monitoring (59% of enterprises), and the deployment of liquid cooling systems (64% of data centers) to enhance thermal efficiency, the TechFundingNews analysis notes.

The urgency is underscored by the fact that global data centers are projected to consume 8% of total energy demand by 2030, according to a Nature study. For investors, this represents a dual opportunity: capitalizing on the digital infrastructure boom while aligning with net-zero targets. Aligned's position as a leader in AI-ready, energy-efficient infrastructure-backed by $12 billion in capital and a 5+ gigawatt expansion pipeline-positions it as a prime asset in this transition, as highlighted in Aligned's press release.

GIP's Strategic Rationale: Balancing Energy Transition and Digital Demand

Global Infrastructure Partners, backed by BlackRock, has positioned itself as a bridge between traditional energy systems and the clean energy transition. Its 2025 investments include a €1 billion stake in Eni's carbon capture projects, a $11 billion commitment to Aramco's gas processing infrastructure, and a $30 billion AI Infrastructure Partnership with Microsoft and NVIDIA, according to TechFundingNews. This diversified approach reflects a recognition that decarbonization cannot occur in isolation from the immediate energy needs of a digitalizing world.

The Aligned acquisition would further cement GIP's role in this nexus. Aligned's 78 data centers across the U.S. and South America are already optimized for sustainability, with industry-leading Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metrics and a focus on waste-heat reuse for district heating, per Aligned's press release. For GIP, the deal offers access to a scalable platform for deploying next-generation AI infrastructure while leveraging Aligned's expertise in energy efficiency.

Decarbonization Challenges and Strategic Fit

Despite the promise, the transaction faces critical hurdles. Power supply constraints remain a systemic risk: U.S. data center demand for electricity exceeds utility capacity by 50%, prompting operators to explore alternatives like small modular reactors and hydrogen fuel cells, according to a ResearchAndMarkets report. Aligned's emphasis on renewable energy partnerships and liquid cooling mitigates some of these risks, but the acquisition's success will depend on GIP's ability to integrate Aligned's operations with its broader energy transition portfolio.

Regulatory scrutiny also looms. Governments in Singapore, Ireland, and the Netherlands have imposed moratoriums or restrictions on data center expansion due to energy concerns, a point raised in the Nature study. GIP's experience in navigating such regulatory landscapes-evident in its CCUS projects and gas-processing investments-could prove pivotal.

Valuation and Market Positioning

Aligned's valuation reflects its strategic value. With $12 billion in equity and debt commitments, the company has secured funding to expand its 5+ gigawatt capacity across the Americas, according to Aligned's press release. This capitalization, combined with its AI-ready infrastructure, aligns with the broader market's shift toward high-performance computing. The global data center market, valued at $248.72 billion in 2023, is projected to grow at 8.19% CAGR to $398.8 billion by 2029, while the sustainable data center segment alone is expected to surge at 13.71% CAGR, per the ResearchAndMarkets report.

For GIP, the acquisition represents a bet on the convergence of AI and sustainability. The firm's $30 billion AI Infrastructure Partnership with Microsoft and NVIDIA underscores its confidence in this trajectory, as previously reported by TechFundingNews. By acquiring Aligned, GIP gains a platform to deploy AI-specific infrastructure while leveraging its existing energy transition expertise to address power supply bottlenecks.

Risks and Mitigation

The deal's risks are twofold: energy supply constraints and regulatory headwinds. To mitigate these, GIP could accelerate its renewable energy partnerships and explore hybrid solutions, such as co-locating data centers with wind or solar farms. Additionally, its experience in carbon capture and hydrogen projects provides a pathway to address embodied carbon and Scope 3 emissions, which are gaining prominence in sustainability reporting, as noted in the Nature study.

Conclusion: A Defining Moment for Green Infrastructure

The GIP-Aligned deal epitomizes the next phase of infrastructure investing: a synthesis of decarbonization and digital demand. As AI workloads drive energy consumption to unprecedented levels, the ability to scale sustainable infrastructure will determine the winners in this sector. For GIP, the acquisition is not just a financial play but a strategic statement about the future of energy and computing.