Aggreko expands liquid-cooled load banks for AI DCs
Author: Joe Peck
Aggreko, a British multinational temporary power generation and temperature control company, has expanded its liquid-cooled load bank fleet by 120MW to meet rising global demand for commissioning equipment used in high-density data centres.
The company plans to double this capacity in 2026, supporting deployments across North America, Europe, and Asia, as operators transition to liquid cooling to manage the growth of AI and high-performance computing.
Increasing rack densities, now reaching between 300kW and 500kW in some environments, have pushed conventional air-cooling systems to their limits. Liquid cooling is becoming the standard approach, offering far greater heat removal efficiency and significantly lower power consumption.
As these systems mature, accurate simulation of thermal and electrical loads has become essential during commissioning to minimise downtime and protect equipment.
The expanded fleet enables Aggreko to provide contractors and commissioning teams with equipment capable of testing both primary and secondary cooling loops, including chiller lines and coolant distribution units. The load banks also simulate electrical demand during integrated systems testing.
Billy Durie, Global Sector Head – Data Centres at Aggreko, says, “The data centre market is growing fast, and with that speed comes the need to adopt energy efficient cooling systems. With this comes challenges that demand innovative testing solutions.
“Our multi-million-pound investment in liquid-cooled load banks enables our partners – including those investing in hyperscale data centre delivery – to commission their facilities faster, reduce risks, and achieve ambitious energy efficiency goals.”
Supporting commissioning and sustainability targets
Liquid-cooled load banks replicate the heat output of IT hardware, enabling operators to validate cooling performance before systems go live. This approach can improve Power Usage Effectiveness and Water Usage Effectiveness while reducing the likelihood of early operational issues.
Manufactured with corrosion-resistant materials and advanced control features, the equipment is designed for use in environments where reliability is critical.
Remote operation capabilities and simplified installation procedures are also intended to reduce commissioning timelines.
With global data centre power demand projected to rise significantly by 2030, driven by AI and high-performance computing, the ability to validate cooling systems efficiently is increasingly important.
Aggreko says it also provides commissioning support as part of project delivery, working with data centre teams to develop testing programmes suited to each site.
Billy continues, “Our teams work closely with our customers to understand their infrastructure, challenges, and goals, developing tailored testing solutions that scale with each project’s complexity.
“We’re always learning from projects, refining our design and delivery to respond to emerging market needs such as system cleanliness, water quality management, and bespoke, end-to-end project support.”
Aggreko states that the latest investment strengthens its ability to support high-density data centre construction and aligns with wider moves towards more efficient and sustainable operations.
Billy adds, “The volume of data centre delivery required is unprecedented. By expanding our liquid-cooled load bank fleet, we’re scaling to meet immediate market demand and to help our customers deliver their data centres on time.
“This is about providing the right tools to enable innovation and growth in an era defined by AI.”
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