Elea and AXIA Energia Collaborating on Green AI Data Center in Amazon Watershed
Elea Data Centers is preparing to launch an artificial Intelligence (AI) computing facility in the gateway community to the Amazon River region.
The BEL1 data center is located in the Belém city within Pará state of Brazil. BEL1 is set to begin operations in the second quarter of 2027. Project developers anticipate an initial capacity of 7.5 MW, with overall projections of up to 100 MW in later phases, according to a release.
Elea will operate the facility, with Brazilian electric utility AXIA Energia supplying the project with 100% renewable energy through a power purchase agreement (PPA). The energy will come from a supply mix of solar, wind and hydroelectric from AXIA. By being built near the Miramar high-voltage substation that AXIA currently operates, Elea will shorten its energy travel distance and minimize electricity loss during transmission.
Once Elea builds this digital infrastructure, It will help AXIA enable the Amazon region with the abundance of clean energy resources needed to run heavy AI workloads. The facility will tap into undersea fiber routes connecting Europe to Latin America, expanding global digital connectivity.
“Expanding into Belém is a strategic move to broaden the geographic distribution of our platform and strengthen Brazil’s digital infrastructure,” said Alessandro Lombardi, CEO and founder of Elea Data Centers, in a statement.
In 2024, Lombardi added that the proposed project began taking shape after Belém was selected as the host city for the 30th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in November 2025. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is a global forum that brings world leaders and scientists together to reinforce the region’s potential to attract structural and sustainable investments to accelerate international climate goals.
Lombardi adds that the northern region will play an important role in the Brazilian digital ecosystem as an emerging connectivity hub. By providing an alternative route to Fortaleza, Brazil's fourth-largest city, the BEL1 project will help reduce digital inequality and boost regional competitiveness in the region.
“BEL1 reaffirms our pioneering spirit and represents a legacy of COP30 by demonstrating the importance of developing sustainable digital infrastructure in strategic and remote regions,” he said.
AXIA, which claims to be the largest 100% renewable energy company in the Southern Hemisphere, states that its portfolio gives large-scale enterprises the tools needed to accelerate regional economic development.
