Following the successful deployment of thermal management solutions at its Marrakech and Settat data centres, leading Moroccan telecommunications provider Inwi has once again called on Vertiv.
The deployment this time was to support expansion at its Technopolis Rabat facility, with an emphasis on cooling efficiency, redundancy and resilience.
Africa’s fast-growing digital economy depends on reliable data centre infrastructure to support cloud services, mobile networks and digital innovation, and Inwi and its data centres play a pivotal role in enabling this foundation.
The project at Inwi’s Technopolis Rabat site focused on upgrading cooling capabilities using advanced chilled water systems and precision cooling units, building on the proven performance delivered by Vertiv at the Marrakech and Settat facilities.
This particular implementation brought with it a unique set of technical challenges, particularly the need to maintain optimal cooling efficiency in high ambient temperatures, which can exceed 45°C during summer months.
In addition, the company needed to integrate new cooling systems within its existing infrastructure without disrupting ongoing operations, while at the same time reducing its carbon footprint in alignment with Inwi’s energy efficiency goals.
To address these requirements, Vertiv installed chilled water systems, featuring the Vertiv Liebert AFC air-cooled chiller with a 715 kW cooling capacity, designed with integrated free cooling capabilities and configured with both a main and redundant unit to enable continuous data centre operations during system maintenance or other downtime.
The solution also includes Vertiv Liebert PCW CRAH units with chilled water cooling, designed for IT rooms to maintain consistent temperature and humidity, integrated with Vertiv Liebert iCOM control systems for real-time performance optimisation and efficient temperature management.
In addition, Vertiv provided lifecycle services including installation and commissioning, technical consultancy to design a cooling system aligned with Inwi’s operational requirements, and ongoing maintenance and support for optimal system performance over the long term.
The result is a cooling infrastructure designed to allow for performance, efficiency and growth. Reliability at the Technopolis Rabat site has been enhanced through cooling systems that safeguard uptime and operational stability.
At the same time, efficiency has been improved through free-cooling capabilities that reduce energy use and operating costs.
Resilience was strengthened through N+1 redundancy, maintaining availability during component failures, and scalability has been achieved through a modular design that supports future growth without disruption.
“By implementing advanced chilled water and precision cooling solutions at our Technopolis Rabat site, Vertiv has played a key role in our strategic initiative to upgrade and modernise Inwi’s data centre facilities, enabling us to meet the growing demands for data processing and storage,” says Abdelilah Idrissi, head of data centres design and operations at Inwi.
“Africa is undergoing a significant transformation in both its energy and digital infrastructure sectors, and the continent’s increasing demand for advanced digital infrastructure aligns with Vertiv’s expertise in enabling resilient, critical infrastructure technologies,” states Zineb Kamri, Vertiv’s regional director for Northwest Africa.
“Vertiv’s consistent delivery of high-quality infrastructure solutions and technical support has positioned us as a preferred supplier for Inwi’s data centre projects. The success of the Marrakech and Settat installations paved the way for this new opportunity at Technopolis, reinforcing our position as a trusted provider for cutting-edge infrastructure solutions tailored to Inwi’s evolving needs.”