London's data centres could heat 500,000 homes

According to a new report from global infrastructure company AECOM, London’s data centres are releasing enough waste heat to warm up to half a million homes each year, yet much of this potential energy is being lost to the atmosphere. Commissioned by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and conducted in partnership with asset management and commercial consultants HermeticaBlack, the study reveals that up to 1.6 terawatt-hours of heat could be recovered each year from the capital’s data centre estate - equivalent to meeting all the heating and hot water needs for all homes in Ealing. The report - Optimising Data Centres in London: Heat Reuse - identifies opportunities to adjust planning and infrastructure policy to unlock this potential for London and sets out recommendations including updated planning guidance, targeted infrastructure incentives, and a standardised framework for activating heat offtake from data centre operators. This includes making sure the designs for all future data centres optimise the ability to re-use waste heat. The potential of heat recovery The uptake of heat recovery in London is currently limited, but AECOM’s report identified cities around the world, including Geneva, that are utilising as much as 95% of the heat recovered from a data centre. The infrastructure consultant says that UK cities, including London, have an opportunity to heat new homes with clean, affordable energy. The report estimates, based on the quantum of heat being currently lost, there is the potential to heat up to half a million homes. When this model was tested across London’s data centre dataset, it evidenced the network could provide enough heat to supply around 350,000 homes. With more than one in eight London households in fuel poverty, and the UK still heavily reliant on gas boilers for home heating, the report highlights the social as well as environmental case for change. Data centres - often located in densely populated parts of East and West London - offer a local, low-carbon source of heat for nearby homes, schools, and public buildings. The added value of data centres Data centres are critical to catering for the increasing demand for AI and high-performance computing. The computing power required generates higher server temperatures, creating higher-grade waste heat more viable for reuse. Asad Kwaja, Associate Director, Sustainability & Decarbonisation Advisory at AECOM, says, “The UK needs complex digital infrastructure to enable its ambitions to become a leader in AI. "Data centres lie at the heart of this conversation, but we must consider their wider use if they are going to play an integral part of the UK’s infrastructure landscape. Data centres should no longer be considered as just an energy consumer; they can become a part of the whole energy ecosystem. “London is one of the biggest data centre hubs across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and hosts 80% of the UK’s capacity. With the right planning, coordination, and investment, London’s data centres could play a pivotal role in decarbonising the heat needed to power the influx of new homes the capital needs to build to address the housing crisis, while also cutting bills for existing residents and improving local energy resilience.” A scheme to capture the waste heat from data centres is already underway in North West London. In 2023, the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) secured £36 million in funding from the government to deliver a heat network, developed by AECOM, to serve 95 gigawatt-hours annually, recovering heat from up to three data centres.

DC BLOX to expand Myrtle Beach landing station

DC BLOX, a provider of connected data centre and fibre networks, has announced the planned expansion of its Myrtle Beach cable landing station in South Carolina, USA. The company has acquired approximately 20 acres of adjacent land within the Myrtle Beach International Technology and Aerospace Park (ITAP) with the potential to accommodate up to five additional subsea cables and an additional 20MW of power from the current on-site substation. The Myrtle Beach cable landing station (MYR1) opened in 2023 and was developed to enable a resilient international communications gateway for subsea cable access into the southeastern US from western European countries, South America, the Caribbean, and Africa. MYR1 is the largest facility of its kind on the Eastern Seaboard. MYR2 will complement existing subsea cables already landing in Myrtle Beach (including Firmina, Anjana, and Nuvem), enhancing the region’s role in connecting the US with the world. Expanding existing connectivity Jeff Wabik, Chief Technology Officer at DC BLOX, says, “Demand for landing subsea cables in Myrtle Beach has been extraordinary and the rapid addition of new carrier partners into MYR1 has significantly enhanced the facility’s connectivity ecosystem. “By preparing for MYR2, DC BLOX is enabling new digital infrastructure development across the region by global hyperscale companies and ensuring continued growth of the Southeast’s digital economy.” Sandy Davis, Myrtle Beach Regional EDC President & CEO, comments, “The continued growth of DC BLOX in our community is the vision presented by their leadership in 2021. "DC BLOX is an extraordinary company committed to providing technology services and community partnerships as promised. We are excited to have DC BLOX expand in Horry County and to house the largest facility of its kind on the Eastern Seaboard in our county." Pending additional demand, the new MYR2 facility would be built adjacent to MYR1 within ITAP, a site that offers a solid coastal location for subsea systems. Once completed, the two facilities combined would support up to ten subsea cables, strengthening international connectivity and advancing Myrtle Beach’s position as a global cable landing destination. For more from DC BLOX, click here.

Schneider Electric advances 800 VDC power systems

Schneider Electric, a French multinational specialising in energy management and industrial automation, has outlined its latest developments in 800 VDC power architectures, designed to meet the growing demands of high-density rack systems across next-generation data centres. The company says the move reflects a broader industry transition towards higher power densities and greater efficiency, as artificial intelligence (AI) workloads drive increased compute intensity. Schneider Electric is developing its approach around system-level design, integrating power conversion, protection, and metering to ensure performance, scalability, and safety. Jim Simonelli, Chief Technology Officer for Data Centres at Schneider Electric, explains, “The move to 800 VDC is a natural evolution as compute density increases and Schneider Electric is committed to helping customers make that transition safely and reliably. "Our expertise lies in understanding the full power ecosystem, from grid to server, and designing systems that integrate seamlessly and operate predictably.” Collaboration with NVIDIA on 800 VDC sidecar Schneider Electric is working with NVIDIA to develop an 800 VDC sidecar capable of powering racks of up to 1.2 MW. The sidecar is designed to support future generations of NVIDIA GPUs and accelerated computing infrastructure by converting AC power from the data centre into 800 VDC. According to Schneider Electric, the design enables safe and efficient megawatt-scale rack power delivery while helping to minimise infrastructure and material costs. The sidecar includes: • Modular power conversion shelves• Integrated short-term energy storage for load smoothing and backup• Live Swap capability for safer maintenance• High energy efficiency The company says the development reflects its wider 'system-level' approach, which focuses on the complete power infrastructure rather than isolated components. This includes optimising conversion technology, intelligent metering, and integrated protection systems to improve operational efficiency and support scalable, high-density deployments. Safety, reliability, and validation Schneider Electric reports that its 800 VDC power systems are backed by extensive modelling, simulation, and testing. This includes fault current and arc flash analysis, as well as certified laboratory environments designed to replicate real-world conditions. The company’s safety and validation processes are aimed at ensuring predictable performance, simplified maintenance, and operational resilience, which are all key factors for facilities deploying high-density AI and high-performance computing racks. Dion Harris, Senior Director of HPC, Cloud, and AI Infrastructure Solutions GTM at NVIDIA, says, “Scalable power architectures are the foundation for next-generation AI infrastructure that maximises both performance and efficiency. "NVIDIA and Schneider Electric are building on our longstanding partnership to design and deliver advanced 800 VDC power systems that will support AI applications driving the industrial AI revolution.” For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Planera secures $8m to support data centre expansion

Planera, a US provider of construction scheduling and planning software, has announced an additional $8 million (£6 million) in funding to expand its work within the data centre construction sector. The company, which develops collaborative scheduling software for construction projects, says the funding will support wider adoption among contractors and subcontractors involved in complex data centre builds. The latest investment follows the company’s 2024 Series A round and brings total funding to $26.5 million (£19.9 million). According to Planera, the new capital will be used to enhance its platform and deepen engagement with data centre clients. Supporting large-scale construction projects Planera says it has developed tailored services for data centre contractors, supported by a dedicated team with experience in mission-critical construction. The company has also introduced new AI tools designed to identify potential schedule risks earlier and improve project delivery timelines. Current customers include: • HITT Contracting, which uses Planera to improve visibility on data centre project progress and accelerate delivery. • Ralph L. Wadsworth (RLW), which employs Planera to coordinate complex builds for major technology clients, helping to improve collaboration and reduce schedule compression. • Ryan Companies US, which uses the platform for collaborative scheduling, subcontractor resource analysis, and integration with master schedules. Industry research highlights the scale of the sector’s growth, as Grand View Research estimates the global data centre market at around $347.6 billion (£261.7 billion) in 2024, rising to $652 billion (£490.9 billion) by 2030. Arizton reports that data centre construction will grow from $91.9 billion (£69.1 billion) in 2024 to more than $214 billion (£161.1 billion) by 2030, driven by investment in hyperscale and AI infrastructure. Nitin Bhandari, CEO of Planera, comments, “With data centre demand increasing worldwide, our customers need modern, collaborative scheduling tools that can match the scale and complexity of these projects. "This new funding will help us focus further on mission-critical work while continuing to support customers across other segments.” The funding round includes participation from Sorenson Capital, Sierra Ventures, Prudence, Brick and Mortar Ventures, Zachry Construction Corporation, and other industry investors. Ken Elefant, Managing Director of Sorenson Capital, suggests, “The adoption of AI is driving intense demand for new data centre capacity. Delays on large-scale projects can have significant financial implications and Planera is well positioned to help contractors deliver on time.” Ranjeet Gadhoke, Vice President of Project Controls at Zachry Construction Corporation, adds, “We use Planera across all our projects and have seen the value it brings to planning and scheduling. This investment reflects our confidence in the platform and its contribution to greater efficiency.” Todd Von Krosigk, Senior Superintendent at HITT Contracting, concludes, “To meet growing data centre demand, we require modern scheduling technology that can keep pace. Planera has become a key partner, giving our teams improved visibility and control.”

Fibre overlooked in UK, delaying 82% of DC projects

Neos Networks, a UK-based B2B connectivity provider, today revealed that 82% of UK data centre operators have delayed site builds or expansion due to fibre availability. 95% of these operators say that access to new, high-capacity fibre networks will now influence their expansion plans. The findings come from new research showing that, despite unprecedented government and enterprise momentum around data centre development and artificial intelligence (AI), fibre remains the critical bottleneck that could slow the UK’s digital growth. However, Neos says the industry is united on the solution: investment in new, high-capacity fibre backbones. The study, carried out in partnership with Censuswide, surveyed data centre operators, enterprise IT leaders and local government stakeholders. Across all three groups, there was a consensus that core fibre networks are the foundation of the UK’s AI infrastructure: • 89% of local government stakeholders report that fibre gaps have delayed infrastructure projects in their regions. • Almost half (45%) of enterprises cite fibre as the key bottleneck holding back AI and digital infrastructure. • Almost half (46%) of local government authorities say their region’s fibre infrastructure is not fully ready to support AI data centres. • One in six companies (16%) doubt the ability of the UK’s current fibre infrastructure to support their AI ambitions. Lee Myall, CEO of Neos Networks, comments, “Over the past decade, we’ve seen a huge amount of investment in last-mile fibre builds, but core fibre networks across the country have received much less attention. Without them, workloads cannot move between data centres, data cannot be trained, and investments stall. "The UK has the ambition, the demand and the regional readiness to lead in AI, but if we don’t address fibre gaps, we risk losing out on one of the greatest economic opportunities of our generation.” AI is reshaping data centre and digital strategy The UK government has set out its ambition to position the country as a global leader in AI, with initiatives such as AI Growth Zones in the AI Opportunities Action Plan central to this vision. The research shows these policies are already shaping investment and strategy across the ecosystem: • 96% of data centre operators say AI Growth Zones are influencing expansion and site selection, with 44% citing them as a strong influence. • 68% of enterprises view AI Growth Zones as a strong driver of change in their infrastructure planning. Importantly, this momentum is fuelling new growth corridors beyond London. While 23% of data centre operators still expect new investment in Greater London, a greater share pointed to the North of England and the Midlands (39%), signalling a shift towards regional hubs of AI activity. This diversification is mirrored in the way compute is being deployed. With data centre sites becoming more dispersed, almost all (97%) data centre operators expect up to half of their UK compute to move to the edge of the network by 2030, underlining the need for high-performance, resilient fibre across every region. But despite this momentum, concerns remain: • 41% of data centre leaders believe the UK’s fibre networks are only partially prepared to support regional AI workloads. • More than 70% of enterprises feel the UK’s attractiveness for data centre investment needs improvement (53%) or is lagging (17%). Unlocking opportunity through new fibre backbones The research highlights a path forward, with new fibre backbone projects critical to unlocking growth. Nearly all respondents agree that investment in high-capacity fibre corridors will transform confidence in the UK’s ability to attract and scale AI projects: • 95% of data centre operators, 96% of enterprises, and 96% of local authorities say new fibre corridors into underserved areas would positively impact AI and data centre growth. • More than half of local authorities (53%) believe such projects would be transformative for their regions. Lee concludes, “AI is no longer a future ambition; it’s here today, reshaping how businesses, communities, and governments operate. "But the UK cannot lead in AI on yesterday’s infrastructure and we need continued investment in the fibre backbones that connect every region of the country. "At Neos, we’re committed to building those foundations so the UK can not only keep pace, but compete and thrive in the global AI race.” For more from Neos Networks, click here.

ZainTECH launches Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute in Kuwait

ZainTECH, the digital solutions and cloud services arm of Kuwait-based Zain Group, in collaboration with Zain Kuwait and Zain Omantel International (ZOI), has announced the availability of Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute on the Azure Marketplace. The move enables government and enterprise customers in Kuwait to access secure and private connectivity to Microsoft Azure directly through the Azure Marketplace. The listing allows organisations with existing Azure agreements to purchase ExpressRoute using their existing Microsoft Azure consumption credits, designed to simplify procurement and integration with cloud infrastructure. Dedicated, compliant cloud connectivity ExpressRoute provides a dedicated, low-latency connection to Microsoft data centres in the UAE and Europe. According to ZainTECH, the service is aimed at supporting mission-critical workloads that require high performance, enhanced security, and compliance with Kuwait’s national data residency and regulatory standards. Andrew Hanna, CEO of ZainTECH, comments, “Helping governments and enterprises become more digital, intelligent, and resilient is what all Zain entities aim for. "The availability of ExpressRoute on the Azure Marketplace is a game-changer for customers in Kuwait. It removes friction from the procurement process and makes it easier than ever for entities to leverage Microsoft’s cloud, using their existing agreements and credits. "This is how we accelerate real transformation: by combining secure, high-speed connectivity with operational simplicity.” ZainTECH says that its collaboration with Zain Kuwait, ZOI, and Microsoft establishes a new framework for compliant and resilient cloud connectivity in Kuwait. The initiative also aligns with Kuwait’s Vision 2035 strategy, supporting national digital transformation efforts and enabling government and enterprise modernisation.

GNM launches new PoP in Paris

GNM, a backbone internet provider and telecom operator, has launched a new Point of Presence (PoP) at 137 Boulevard Voltaire in Paris, expanding its Western European footprint and giving French operators direct access to its backbone and interconnection services. The company says that strong growth in France over the past year drove the decision to expand into the capital. The Paris site connects regional operators with lower-latency routes to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London, and Central Europe, integrated with GNM’s 20,000 km backbone and 80+ PoPs in 21 countries. From Paris, GNM says it offers services including IP Transit with Tier-1 upstreams and advanced BGP community control; GNM-IX peering, with more than 650 connected networks; Ethernet / L2VPN with SLAs and end-to-end traffic control; and Remote IX for access to European Internet Exchanges without physical presence. Ahmed Eidarous, International Development Manager at GNM, comments, “Paris is a natural step in our European expansion. “By launching a PoP here, we are bringing French operators closer to our backbone and service portfolio, enabling them to exchange traffic more efficiently and access international hubs with minimal latency.” With the Paris PoP online, GNM says it has both expanded its presence in Western Europe and strengthened connectivity for regional and global customers. For more from GNM, click here.

Uncover the hidden risks in data centre resilience

In July 2024, a lightning arrester failure in Northern Virginia, USA, triggered a massive 1,500MW load transfer across 70 data centres - handling over 70% of global internet traffic. The result? No customer outages, but a cascade of grid instability and unexpected generator behaviour that exposed critical vulnerabilities in power resilience. Powerside’s latest whitepaper - entitled Data Centre Load Transfer Event – Critical Insights from Power Quality Monitoring - delivers a technical case study from this unprecedented event, revealing: • Why identical voltage disturbances led to vastly different data centre responses • How power quality monitoring helped decode complex grid interactions • What this means for future-proofing infrastructure in 'Data Centre Alley' and beyond Whether you are managing mission-critical infrastructure or advising on grid stability, this is essential reading. You can download the full whitepaper by registering below: [ninja_form id=5]

LINX achieves 25 x 400GE port count milestone

The London Internet Exchange (LINX), an internet exchange point (IXP) operator, has successfully deployed their 25th 400GE port across their global network, a major milestone within the wider industry's growth. The first 400GE port was provisioned in 2021, with demand for ultra-high bandwidth connectivity surging since then, driven by the exponential growth in cloud services, video streaming, gaming, and AI workloads. A single 400GE connection delivers four times the capacity of a standard 1000GE port, enabling networks to consolidate traffic, reduce operational complexity, and build in resilience, future-proofing their infrastructure. Investing in the future LINX has invested heavily in Nokia’s next-generation hardware and optical technologies to enable 400GE delivery across its interconnection ecosystems in London and Manchester. This investment aims to ensure members can scale quickly and efficiently while maintaining the resilience and reliability that underpin the global internet. Jennifer Holmes, CEO of LINX, comments, “Reaching 25 active 400GE ports is a testament to the evolving needs of our members and the strength of our technical infrastructure. "We’ve seen a clear shift towards high-capacity services, with our larger delivery networks upgrading first to 400GE. "In the last 12 months UK ISPs are now seeing the demand for the service and are upgrading in London and Manchester, a positive sign of effective network traffic management or regional peering. "This evolution demonstrates how network operators of all sizes are adapting to keep pace with the demands of modern digital services.” As digital transformation accelerates globally, LINX says it continues to extend its reach beyond the UK, also supporting interconnection platforms in the US and Africa. For more from LINX, click here.

365 Data Centers appoints new CEO and President

365 Data Centers (365), a provider of network-centric colocation, network, cloud, and other managed services, has announced the appointment of Derek Gillespie as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Steve Amelio as President. This leadership transition follows the planned retirement of co-founder and CEO Bob DeSantis, who will continue to serve as a Board Member and strategic advisor to the company. Who's who Derek Gillespie brings over two decades of experience across the data centre and telecommunications industries. The company says that since joining 365 as CRO in 2024, Derek has played a role in expanding the company’s market reach, strengthening customer relationships, and executing strategic acquisitions. He will continue to act as CRO in addition to taking on the new role of CEO. Steve Amelio, who has been with 365 since 2019, has reportedly helped build the company’s operational and financial foundation. As well as becoming President, he will continue to serve as CFO, overseeing finance and administration while leading day-to-day operations to ensure continued customer satisfaction and scalable growth. Bob DeSantis, co-founder and Board Member of 365 Data Centers, comments, “Derek and Steve have been central to 365’s success and are ideally suited to lead the company into its next phase of growth. “Their leadership, deep industry expertise, and shared vision will ensure continuity while propelling the company forward as a trusted infrastructure-as-a-service and managed services provider.” During Bob’s tenure, 365 has transformed from a collection of eight standalone data centres into a US-wide, interconnected platform with 20 facilities, 80MW of capacity, 1,200 customers, and a network spanning key edge markets. “We are honoured to carry forward the incredible momentum that Bob and the team have built,” says Derek Gillespie, CEO at 365 Data Centers. “Our focus remains on delivering reliable, high-performance infrastructure solutions that empower our customers to grow and innovate.” “This is an exciting time for 365,” adds Steve Amelio, President of 365 Data Centers. “We look forward to building upon our strong operational backbone and customer-first culture as we continue to scale and strengthen our network-centric platform.” For more from 365 Data Centers, click here.