Vertiv, Caterpillar to expand joint energy offerings for AI DCs

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, and Caterpillar, a manufacturer of construction equipment, have agreed to collaborate on energy optimisation for AI data centres, combining power generation, distribution, and cooling expertise in a set of integrated reference designs. The aim is to support operators facing rising demand for on-site power and thermal management as AI workloads expand. The undertaking will connect Vertiv’s power distribution and cooling portfolio with Caterpillar’s and Solar Turbines’ experience in power generation and combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP). The companies intend to offer pre-designed architectures intended to streamline deployment and standardise performance across sites. Integrated approach to power and cooling Caterpillar and Solar Turbines will provide natural gas turbines and reciprocating engines for scalable on-site power and thermal output for CCHP configurations. Vertiv will contribute power and cooling technologies packaged as modular, pre-designed blocks to reduce design time and support consistent deployment across facilities. According to the companies, this approach is intended to shorten deployment time, improve operational efficiency, and offer global lifecycle support through established service networks. Gio Albertazzi, CEO at Vertiv, comments, “This collaboration with Caterpillar and Solar Turbines is a cornerstone of our 'Bring Your Own Power & Cooling' strategy and aligns seamlessly with our grid-to-chip framework by offering resilient, on-site power generation solutions. This is optimal for customers looking to reduce or eliminate grid dependence. “By combining our complementary technologies, portfolios, and expertise, we are enabling coordinated integration. Our pre-engineered, interoperability-tested building blocks let customers execute design, build, and deploy concurrently, with predictable system performance.” Jason Kaiser, Group President of Caterpillar Power & Energy, adds, “As AI-driven workloads continue to accelerate, the demand for robust and scalable power infrastructure and cooling is becoming increasingly critical. Our collaboration with Vertiv will enable us to deliver integrated, on-site energy solutions that lower PUE and meet customers’ evolving needs.” The companies state that the undertaking will support data centre operators facing energy constraints by helping them deploy AI-ready facilities with improved efficiency and more predictable commissioning. A Memorandum of Understanding between Vertiv and Caterpillar establishes the framework for further development of this joint ecosystem. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Secure I.T. constructs modular DC for NHS Trust

Secure I.T. Environments (SITE), a UK design and build company for modular, containerised, and micro data centres, has today announced the handover of its latest external modular data centre project with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. The new 125m² data centre has now been completed and provides an energy-efficient disaster recovery facility for the Trust, ensuring it can continue to deliver resilient services across Somerset and for the 1.7 million patient contacts that take place. A data centre for all challenges Whilst the Trust initially considered cloud solutions for its data requirements, these could not meet the requirements for existing clinical software, nor the cost constraints in place. In response, SITE proposed its external modular data centre, which is intended to provide a cost-effective and secure way to build new data centres or extend existing infrastructure to meet the growing demands of on-site IT needs. SITE says its modular system can be built rapidly and that this particular project was designed, built, and live within 8 months. The company also says its modular rooms are a pre-engineered solution, offering a clean and fast construction process, making it appropriate for locations where an existing room is not available or where a new building is impractical. The modular system reportedly has high protection, including protecting against physical security threats by meeting industry standards BS476 / EN1047 and LPS1175 security ratings. Design and delivery The design was divided into three areas: the main IT racks, an electrical plant area, and build area. Working with the Trust, SITE’s design incorporated 20 19” 48U cabinets, configured in two rows of 10 with cold aisle containment, energy-efficient UPS systems in N+1 format, as well as GEA Multi-DENCO Energy Efficient DX Freecool air conditioning units, also in N+1 configuration. SITE managed the delivery of all groundworks and mechanical and electrical infrastructure. The delivery of the new facility included a new concrete pad, drainage, power distribution, FK 5-1-12 fire suppression, VESDA detection systems, environmental monitoring, backup generator, and fuel tank. Furthermore, the design and specification hardened the data centre against burglary (LPS 1175 SR2 specifications), fire, fire-fighting water, heat, humidity, gases, dust, debris, and unauthorised access. The facility's external perimeter security has been protected with CCTV, prison mesh anti-climb fencing, security gates, and Amcor barriers. Chris Wellfair, Projects Director at Secure I.T. Environments, comments, “At a time when many organisations are trying to balance the needs of their IT infrastructure with challenging budgets, our modular data centres are making it easier for them to achieve their goals without compromising on performance. "Having previously built a data centre for the Trust at another hospital location, we were pleased to work with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to deliver this new data centre to meet their specific requirements.” Adam Morgan, Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, adds, “Secure I.T. have delivered a significant upgrade to the Trust’s data centre infrastructure. "We were very specific about the design brief and requirements, and it has been a positive project delivering this facility with Secure I.T. Environments. "The Trust now has additional capacity for growth for years to come, which will bring benefits to clinical care by enabling resilient delivery of clinical systems across the county of Somerset.” For more from Secure I.T. Environments, click here.

Carbon3.ai to invest £1bn in UK’s AI infrastructure network

Carbon3.ai, a UK sovereign AI infrastructure company, has announced a £1 billion commitment to develop a nationwide network of data centres that aims to transform legacy industrial and energy infrastructure into secure, fully sustainable, AI-ready hubs. Designed, owned, and operated by Carbon3.ai, the network will seek to deliver high-performance, low-carbon compute capacity to fuel the digital readiness of UK enterprise, research, and public services. All infrastructure and data processing will be located within the UK and fully subject to UK jurisdiction and regulatory oversight. The company has already completed a successful proof of concept and is moving into full-scale rollout with its first 5MW site in the East Midlands, set to open in March 2026, and planning permission submitted for a second facility in Derbyshire. New appointments for further expansion To drive this next phase of growth, Carbon3.ai says it has strengthened its leadership with a team that "brings together deep expertise across government, finance, and national security." Sana Khareghani, former Head of the UK Government Office for Artificial Intelligence, joins as Chief Strategy Officer, leading the company’s strategy on national AI infrastructure and seeking to ensure its network advances the UK’s digital competitiveness and long-term energy transition. Sana is supported by advisors Richard Collier-Keywood, former Vice Chair of PwC’s Global Board, and Sir George Zambellas, former Navy Chief. Sana comments, “If the UK is to lead in AI, we must first secure the foundations that make it possible: compute, power, and data. Carbon3 is building those foundations here at home, transforming legacy energy sites into a sovereign, renewable, AI-ready infrastructure network. "This isn’t a vision on paper, we’re making it happen now on the ground. By putting critical infrastructure back under UK control, we’re creating sustainable capacity and national capability that will power innovation, research, and enterprise for decades to come.” Tom Humphreys, CEO of Carbon3.ai, adds, “The UK’s competitiveness in AI depends on infrastructure that is truly sovereign, sustainable, and resilient. It’s not enough to invest in data centres; we need a national backbone for AI that’s owned, powered, and secured right here at home. "Our goal is to ensure that British enterprise, researchers, and public institutions have access to world-class compute capacity without relying on foreign-controlled infrastructure. "The Government recognises the urgency; that is why they have said we need 6GW of sovereign AI capacity by 2030. Together, we can get there, securing a foundation for innovation, investment, and long-term national advantage.” Carbon3.ai asserts that these developments support the UK Government’s AI and digital infrastructure agenda of strengthening national resilience, creating regional opportunity, and ensuring the benefits of technological progress are rooted in British infrastructure and communities. By converting brownfield and legacy energy sites into renewable-powered compute hubs, the company says it aligns directly with the Government’s priorities for AI growth zones and the designation of data centres as critical national infrastructure.

R&M introduces radio-based access control for racks

R&M, a Swiss developer and provider of infrastructure for data and communications networks, is introducing radio-based access control for data centres. The core product is an electromechanical door handle for the racks of the BladeShelter and Freenet families from R&M. Technicians can only open the door handles with authorised transponder cards, while administrators can control them remotely via encrypted radio connections and data networks. R&M says it is thus integrating high-security digital protection into its "holistic infrastructure solutions" for data centres. Package details One installation comprises up to 1,200 door handles for server and network racks, as well as radio and control modules for computer rooms. The door handles do not require any wiring in the racks. Their electronics are powered by batteries whose power is sufficient for three years of operation or 30,000 locking cycles. The personalised transponder cards communicate with the door handles via RFID antennas. In addition, there is software to manage users, access rights, the transponder cards, and racks. The software creates protocols, visualises alarm states, and supports other functions. It can be operated remotely and integrated into superordinate systems such as data centre infrastructure management (DCIM). The new offer is the result of the collaboration with German manufacturer EMKA, being based on the company's 'Agent E', an intelligent locking system. The R&M offering aims to integrate complementary systems from selected manufacturers into infrastructure for data centres. In Europe, R&M notes it is already working with several independent partner companies that pursue comparable medium-sized business models and sustainability goals. For more from R&M, click here.

Why cooling design is critical to the cloud

In this article for DCNN, Ross Waite, Export Sales Manager at Balmoral Tanks, examines how design decisions today will shape sustainable and resilient cooling infrastructure for decades to come: Running hot and running dry? Driven by the surge in AI and cloud computing, new data centres are appearing at pace across Europe, North America, and beyond. Much of the debate has focused on how we power sites, yet there is another side to the story, one that determines whether those billions invested in servers actually deliver: cooling. Servers run hot, 24/7, and without reliable water systems to manage that heat, even the best-connected facilities cannot operate as intended. In fact, cooling is fast becoming the next frontier in data centre design and the decisions made today will echo for decades. A growing thirst Data centres are rapidly emerging as one of the most significant commercial water consumers worldwide. Current global estimates suggest that facilities already use over 560 billion litres of water annually, with that figure set to more than double to 1,200 billion litres by 2030 as AI workloads intensify. The numbers at an individual site are equally stark. A single 100 MW hyperscale centre can use up to 2.5 billion litres per year - enough to supply a city of 80,000 people. Google has reported daily use of more than 2.1 million litres at some sites, while Microsoft’s 2023 global consumption rose 34% year-on-year to reach 6.4 million cubic metres. Meta reported 95% of its 2023 water use - some 3.1 billion litres - came from data centres. The majority of this is consumed in evaporative cooling systems, where 80% of drawn water is lost to evaporation and just 20% returns for treatment. While some operators are trialling reclaimed or non-potable sources, these currently make up less than 5% of total supply. The headline numbers can sound bleak, but water use is not inherently unsustainable. Increasingly, facilities are moving towards closed-loop cooling systems that recycle water for six to eight months at a time, reducing continuous draw from mains supply. These systems require bulk storage capacity, both for the initial fill and for holding treated water ready for reuse. Designing resilience into water systems This is where design choices made early in a project pay dividends. Consultants working on new builds are specifying not only the volume of water storage or the type of system that should be used but also the standards to which they are built. Tanks that support fire suppression, potable water, and process cooling need to meet stringent criteria, often set by insurers as well as regulators. Selecting materials and coatings that deliver 30-50 years of service life can prevent expensive retrofits and reassure both clients and communities that these systems are designed to last. Smart water management, in other words, begins not onsite, but on the drawing board. For consultants who are designing the build specifications for data centres, water is more than a technical input; it is a reputational risk. Once a specification is signed off and issued to tender, it is rarely altered. Getting it right first time is essential. That means selecting partners who can provide not just tanks, but expertise: helping ensure that water systems meet performance, safety, and sustainability criteria across decades of operation. The payback is twofold. First, consultants safeguard their client’s investment by embedding resilience from the start. Second, they position themselves as trusted advisors in one of the most scrutinised aspects of data centre development. In a sector where projects often run to tens or hundreds of millions of pounds, this credibility matters. Power may dominate the headlines, but cooling - and by extension water - is the silent foundation of the digital economy. Without it, AI models do not train, cloud services do not scale, and data stops flowing. The future of data centres will be judged not only on how much power they consume, but on how intelligently they use water - and that judgement begins with design. If data centres are the beating heart of the modern economy, then water is the life force that keeps them alive. Cooling the cloud is not an afterthought; it is the future.

ABB supplies power tech for Applied Digital's AI factory

ABB, a multinational corporation specialising in industrial automation and electrification products, has expanded its collaboration with Applied Digital, an operator of high-performance data centres, to supply power infrastructure for the company’s second AI factory campus in North Dakota, USA. The latest order, booked in late 2025, covers new medium-voltage electrical architecture designed to support the rising power demands of AI workloads. Financial terms have not been disclosed. Powering the AI factory Applied Digital’s Polaris Forge 2 campus, located near Harwood, North Dakota, is planned to deliver 300 MW of capacity across two buildings due to enter operation in 2026 and 2027. The site is being developed with scope for further expansion. ABB will provide both low- and medium-voltage electrical systems intended to help the facility achieve high efficiency levels and a low projected PUE. Todd Gale, Chief Development Officer at Applied Digital, says, “Our partnership with ABB reflects Applied Digital’s commitment to redefining what is possible in data centre scale and performance. “Polaris Forge 2 represents the next evolution of our AI factory model - beginning with two 150-megawatt buildings with the ability to scale - solidifying our position as a leader in delivering high-performance, energy-efficient AI infrastructure.” ABB Smart Power President Massimiliano Cifalitti comments, “As AI reshapes data centres, ABB is working with leading digital infrastructure innovators to introduce a new generation of advanced power system solutions. “The medium voltage architecture developed with Applied Digital is a big step forward for large-scale AI facilities. Working together closely from the start enabled both teams to identify opportunities to drive higher efficiency, performance, and reliability, along with lower costs and faster time to market.” Applied Digital has reported that the first 200 MW of capacity at Polaris Forge 2 will be leased to a US-based hyperscaler. The companies’ partnership began in June 2025 with the development of Applied Digital’s first 400 MW AI campus, Polaris Forge 1, in Ellendale, North Dakota. Both campuses use ABB’s HiPerGuard medium-voltage UPS and medium-voltage switchgear. Moving power distribution to medium voltage using this approach is intended to increase power density, improve efficiency, and support scaling in larger blocks, while also reducing cabling requirements. For more from ABB, click here.

BAC releases upgraded immersion cooling tanks

Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC), a provider of data centre cooling equipment, has introduced an updated immersion cooling tank for high-performance data centres, incorporating its CorTex technology to improve reliability, efficiency, and support for high-density computing environments. The company says the latest tank has been engineered to provide consistent performance with minimal maintenance, noting its sealed design has no penetrations below the fluid level, helping maintain fluid integrity and reduce leakage risks. Dual pumps are included for redundancy and the filter-free configuration removes the need for routine filter replacement. Design improvements for reliability and ease of operation The tanks are available in four sizes - 16RU, 32RU, 38RU, and 48RU - allowing operators to accommodate a range of immersion-ready servers. Air-cooled servers can also be adapted for immersion use. Each unit supports server widths of 19 and 21 inches (~48 cm and ~53 cm) and depths up to 1,200 mm, enabling higher rack densities within a smaller footprint than traditional air-cooled systems. BAC states that the design can support power usage effectiveness levels of up to 1.05, depending on the wider installation. The system uses dielectric fluid to transfer heat from servers to the internal heat exchanger, while external circuits can run on water or water-glycol mixtures. Cable entry points, the lid, and heat-exchanger connections are fluid-tight to help prevent contamination. The immersion tank forms the indoor component of BAC’s Cobalt system, which combines indoor and outdoor cooling technologies for high-density computing. The system can be paired with BAC’s evaporative, hybrid, adiabatic, or dry outdoor equipment to create a complete cooling configuration for data centres managing higher-powered servers and AI-driven workloads. For more from BAC, click here.

ZutaCore unveils waterless end-of-row CDUs

ZutaCore, a developer of liquid cooling technology, has introduced a new family of waterless end-of-row (EOR) coolant distribution units (CDUs) designed for high-density artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) environments. The units are available in 1.2 MW and 2 MW configurations and form part of the company’s direct-to-chip, two-phase liquid cooling portfolio. According to ZutaCore, the EOR CDU range is intended to support multiple server racks from a single unit while maintaining rack-level monitoring and control. The company states that this centralised design reduces duplicated infrastructure and enables waterless operation inside the white space, addressing energy-efficiency and sustainability requirements in modern data centres. The cooling approach uses ZutaCore’s two-phase, direct-to-chip technology and a low-global warming potential dielectric fluid. Heat is rejected into the facility without water inside the server hall, aiming to reduce condensation and leak risk while improving thermal efficiency. My Truong, Chief Technology Officer at ZutaCore, says, “AI data centres demand reliable, scalable thermal management that provides rapid insights to operate at full potential. Our new end-of-row CDU family gives operators the control, intelligence, and reliability required to scale sustainably. "By integrating advanced cooling physics with modern RESTful APIs for remote monitoring and management, we’re enabling data centres to unlock new performance levels without compromising uptime or efficiency.” Centralised cooling and deployment models ZutaCore states that the systems are designed to support varying availability requirements, with hot-swappable components for continuous operation. Deployment options include a single-unit configuration for cost-effective scaling or an active-standby arrangement for enterprise environments that require higher redundancy levels. The company adds that the units offer encrypted connectivity and real-time monitoring through RESTful APIs, aimed at supporting operational visibility across multiple cooling units. The EOR CDU platform is set to be used in EGIL Wings’ 15 MW AI Vault facility, as part of a combined approach to sustainable, high-density compute infrastructure. Leland Sparks, President of EGIL Wings, claims, “ZutaCore’s end-of-row CDUs are exactly the kind of innovation needed to meet the energy and thermal challenges of AI-scale compute. "By pairing ZutaCore’s waterless cooling with our sustainable power systems, we can deliver data centres that are faster to deploy, more energy-efficient, and ready for the global scale of AI.” ZutaCore notes that its cooling technology has been deployed across more than forty global sites over the past four years, with users including Equinix, SoftBank, and the University of Münster. The company says it continues to expand through partnerships with organisations such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Carrier, and ASRock Rack, including work on systems designed for next-generation AI servers.

Signings for European AI DC capacity treble in 2025

Demand for data centre capacity dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) has surged across Europe this year, as emerging AI infrastructure providers - often referred to as neoclouds - accelerate their expansion efforts amid slowing hyperscaler activity. According to new research from commercial real estate and investment firm CBRE, signings for AI-focused colocation capacity reached 414MW in the first nine months of 2025, up from 133MW compared to the same period in 2024. More than half of this capacity (57%) was signed in the Nordics. The increase reflects a market shift as hyperscaler demand has moderated temporarily and neocloud providers are securing large-scale capacity to meet the growing requirements of AI-driven applications. Neoclouds taking the lead Data centre operators are implementing measures to manage the additional risk associated with leasing to neocloud firms, including higher rental rates to offset build costs and ensure returns on AI-ready facilities. Andrew Jay, Head of Data Centre Solutions, Europe at CBRE, notes, “Neoclouds have expanded their footprint in Europe this year by absorbing vacant space that was originally intended for hyperscalers. "It is a sign that many data centre providers are growing more comfortable with the ambitions of neocloud providers and the covenants that come with it.” Kevin Restivo, Director, European Data Centre Research at CBRE, adds, “Neocloud providers are taking AI-specific capacity at scale in Europe. "We see tremendous growth of this segment especially in the Nordics, where lower-cost renewable power is often available in greater abundance than in many other European markets.” For more from CBRE, click here.

National Grid upgrading Oxfordshire substation to connect DCs

National Grid, the UK’s largest electricity distribution network, has started work to upgrade its Didcot substation in Oxfordshire, a key infrastructure development that will connect data centres and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to the electricity transmission network. Situated next to the former Didcot A coal power station and just two miles from the UK’s first AI Growth Zone at Culham, the upgraded substation is aimed at supporting Britain’s digital ambitions while boosting grid capacity for future projects to plug in. Alongside new data centres, 650MW of battery schemes will connect through the extended facility, completing a transition from ‘coal to clean’ at the site and helping to meet growing demand for flexible, zero carbon power in the region. Details of the upgrades The upgrade will see the existing 400kV outdoor air-insulated substation extended with three bays and three supergrid transformers, while a new 132kV indoor gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) facility will be built next door, minimising the footprint of the development and its impact on the environment. The new GIS facility will feature Hitachi Energy’s EconiQ switchgear technology, a sustainable alternative to sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) - a greenhouse gas commonly used as an electrical insulator - marking another step in National Grid’s commitment to reduce SF6 emissions from its network by 50% by 2030. Linxon has been appointed as principal contractor to deliver the substation upgrades, building on its collaboration with National Grid on projects such as London Power Tunnels, which will see the UK’s first SF6-free GIS substation at Bengeworth Road. Work at Didcot comes just months after construction commenced on National Grid’s new Uxbridge Moor substation in neighbouring Buckinghamshire, which is due to connect over a dozen new data centres and which will also use SF6-free switchgear. Peter Hancock, Project Director at National Grid Electricity Transmission, says, “Our Didcot substation extension marks another step forward in powering the UK’s digital future. "By enabling new data centres and battery storage systems to connect to the grid, we’re supporting both the energy transition and the growth of the digital economy regionally and nationally. “With SF6-free technology at its heart, this project reflects our commitment to building a cleaner, greener electricity network for generations to come.” Angel Guijarro, Managing Director of Linxon Europe, adds, “Linxon’s appointment to this project is a testament to our strong partnership with National Grid and our shared vision for a sustainable energy future. "We are committed to delivering a turnkey solution that will enhance the reliability and efficiency of Didcot substation, benefitting both local and national communities.” Electricity demand in Britain is expected to double by 2050, with demand from data centres alone set to triple from 3% of the country’s total in 2025 to 9% by 2035. For more from National Grid, click here.