Data Centre Build News & Insights

America’s AI revolution needs the right infrastructure

In this article, Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, argues his case for why America’s AI revolution won’t happen without the right kind of infrastructure: Boom or bust Artificial intelligence might well be the defining technology of our time, but its future rests on something much less tangible hiding beneath the surface: latency. Every AI service, whether training models across distributed GPU-as-a-Service communities or running inference close to end users, depends on how fast, how securely, and how cost-effectively data can move. Network latency is simply the delay in the speed of traffic transmission caused by the distance the data needs to travel: the lower latency is (i.e. the faster the transmission), the better the performance of everything from autonomous vehicles to the applications we carry in our pockets. There’s always been a trend of technology applications outpacing network capabilities, but we’re feeling it more acutely now due to the sheer pace of AI growth. Depending on where you were in 2012, the average latency for the top 20 applications could be up to or more than 200 milliseconds. Today, there’s virtually no application in the top 100 that would function effectively with that kind of latency. That’s why internet exchanges (IXs) have begun to dominate the conversation. An IX is like an airport for data. Just as an airport coordinates the safe landing and departure of dozens of airlines, allowing them to exchange passengers and cargo seamlessly, an IX brings together networks, clouds, and content platforms to seamlessly exchange traffic. The result is faster connections, lower latency, greater efficiency, and a smoother journey for every digital service that depends on it. Deploying these IXs creates what is known as “data gravity”, a magnetic pull that draws in networks, content, and investment. Once this gravity takes hold, ecosystems begin to grow on their own, localising data and services, reducing latency, and fuelling economic growth. I recently spoke about this at a first-of-its-kind regional AI connectivity summit, The future of AI connectivity in Kansas & beyond, hosted at the Wichita State University (WSU) in Kansas, USA. It was the perfect location - given that WSU is the planned site of a new carrier-neutral IX - and the start of a much bigger plan to roll out IXs across university campuses nationwide. Discussions at the summit reflected a growing recognition that America’s AI economy cannot depend solely on coastal hubs or isolated mega-data centres. If AI is to deliver value across all parts of the economy, from aerospace and healthcare to finance and education, it needs a distributed, resilient, and secure interconnection layer reaching deep into the heartland. What is beginning in Wichita is part of a much bigger picture: building the kind of digital infrastructure that will allow AI to flourish. Networking changed the game, but AI is changing the rules For all its potential, AI’s crowning achievement so far might be the wakeup call it’s given us. It has magnified every weakness in today’s networks. Training up models requires immense compute power. Finding the data centre space for this can be a challenge, but new data transport protocols are meaning that AI processing could, in the future, be spread across multiple data centre facilities. Meanwhile, inference - and especially multi-AI agentive inference - demands ultra-low latency, as AI services interact with systems, people, and businesses in real time. But for both of these scenarios, the efficiency and speed of the network is key. If the network cannot keep pace (if data needs to travel too far), these applications become too slow to be useful. That’s why the next breakthrough in AI won’t be in bigger or better models, but in the infrastructure that connects them all. By bringing networks, clouds, and enterprises together on a neutral platform, an IX makes it possible to aggregate GPU resources across locations, create agile GPU-as-a-Service communities, and deliver real-time inference with the best performance and highest level of security. AI changes the geography of networking too. Instead of relying only on mega-hubs in key locations, we need interconnection spokes that reach into every region where people live, work, and innovate. Otherwise, businesses in the middle of the country face the “tromboning effect”, where their data detours hundreds of miles to another city to be exchanged and processed before returning a result - adding latency, raising costs, and weakening performance. We need to make these distances shorter, reduce path complexity, and allow data to move freely and securely between every player in the network chain. That’s how AI is rewriting the rulebook; latency, underpinned by distance and geography, matters more than ever. Building ecosystems and 'data gravity' When we establish an IX, we’re doing more than just connecting networks; we’re forging the embers of a future-proof ecosystem. I’ve seen this happen countless times. The moment a neutral (meaning data centre and carrier neutral) exchange is in place, it becomes a magnet that draws in networks, content providers, data centres, and investors. The pull of “data gravity” transforms a market from being dependent on distant hubs into a self-sustaining digital environment. What may look like a small step - a handful of networks exchanging traffic locally - very quickly becomes an accelerant for rapid growth. Dubai is one of the clearest examples. When we opened our first international platform there in 2012, 90% of the content used in the region was hosted outside of the Middle East, with latency above 200 milliseconds. A decade later, 90% of that content is localised within the region and latency has dropped to just three milliseconds. This was a direct result of the gravity created by the exchange, pulling more and more stakeholders into the ecosystem. For AI, that localisation isn’t just beneficial; it’s also essential. Training and inference both depend on data being closer to where it is needed. Without the gravity of an IX, content and compute remain scattered and far away, and performance suffers. With it, however, entire regions can unlock the kind of digital transformation that AI demands. The American challenge There was a time when connectivity infrastructure was dominated by a handful of incumbents, but that time has long since passed. Building AI-ready infrastructure isn’t something that one organisation or sector can do alone. Everywhere that has succeeded in building an AI-ready network environment has done so through partnerships - between data centre, network, and IX operators, alongside policy makers, technology providers, universities, and - of course - the business community itself. When those pieces of the puzzle are assembled together, the result is a healthy ecosystem that benefits everyone. This collaborative model, like the one envisaged at the IX in WSU, is exactly what the US needs if it is to realise the full potential of AI. Too much of America’s digital economy still depends on coastal hubs, while the centre of the country is underserved. That means businesses in aerospace, healthcare, finance, and education - many of which are based deep in the US heartland - must rely on services delivered from other states and regions, and that isn’t sustainable when it comes to AI. To solve this, we need a distributed layer of interconnection that extends across the entire nation. Only then can we create a truly digital America where every city has access to the same secure, high-performance infrastructure required to power its AI-driven future. For more from DE-CIX, click here.

Sabey achieves 25% carbon emissions cut

Sabey Data Centers, a data centre developer, owner, and operator, has announced a 25.2% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions from a 2018 baseline, even as electrical load under management has continued growth in the same interval. The company’s 2024 Sustainability Report details progress in environmental performance, technology innovation, and clean energy partnerships intended to rival the global data centre sector. 2024 report highlights The 2024 report shares data on Sabey’s emissions reductions, energy efficiency improvements, and external partnerships. The company says it continues to align its emissions reductions with its science-based targets and is working to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2029. Key developments from the report include: · Carbon emissions slashed 25.2% from 2018 baseline· Pioneering MOU with TerraPower to explore integrating next-generation nuclear energy· Nine buildings earn ENERGY STAR certification with scores over 90; five receive a score of 99/100 Clear path to net zero The report outlines the steps Sabey is taking to meet its net-zero goal. These include continued investment in carbon-free energy, improving building operations to reduce energy use, reducing emissions from HVAC and fuel sources, and helping customers better understand their own energy footprints. Casey Mason, Senior Energy & Sustainability Manager, says, “Data centres are the backbone of the digital economy and [the] AI revolution, but must become stewards of global decarbonisation. “We are not just on track for net zero by 2029; we're reimagining how critical digital infrastructure can be both scalable and sustainable for the world’s fastest-growing industries. "Our work with TerraPower, local utilities, and SBTi showcases the kind of bold collaboration needed for a climate-secure future.” In alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Sabey reports on emissions and sustainability efforts annually, engaging with external organisations in the process, including CDP, GRESB, EcoVadis, Atrius, and data centre tenants. The company’s emissions reporting includes both location-based and market-based accounting methods. For more from Sabey, click here.

Equinix announces £3.9 billion UK data centre investment

Digital infrastructure company Equinix has acquired an 85-acre site in Hertfordshire, where it plans to develop a large-scale data centre campus. The company says it intends to invest £3.9 billion in the project, which is expected to deliver more than 250 MW of compute capacity. According to Equinix, the campus will support both domestic and international organisations across sectors including healthcare, life sciences, public services, financial services, manufacturing, and entertainment. The development is also referenced by the company as part of broader ambitions around sovereign AI capability in the UK. The site, previously known as DC01UK, is expected to create around 2,500 construction jobs and, once operational, more than 200 permanent roles. KPMG estimates that direct and indirect employment could generate roughly £120 million in wages. KPMG analysis also suggests the project could contribute up to £3 billion in annual Gross Value Added during construction, and up to £260 million once operational, reflecting supply-chain activity and wage spending. DC01UK, commenting on the sale of its site to Equinix, states, "The deal represents one of the largest infrastructure and real estate transactions in the world in recent years. This milestone transaction marks a defining moment for UK digital infrastructure. "With a projected total investment value in the region of £3.9 billion, the deal lays the foundation for one of Europe’s largest and most advanced data centre campuses - a project of unprecedented scale and ambition that will drive the next wave of cloud and AI innovation." Economic and community impact Equinix says it intends to work with local organisations on education, skills, and environmental programmes linked to the development. The company notes it has operated data centres for 27 years and currently runs more than 270 facilities across six continents. In the UK, Equinix supports over 1,300 customers and employs more than 1,200 people. James Tyler, UK Managing Director at Equinix, says, “The UK is a cornerstone of the global economy and is a natural home for our most substantial investment in Europe to date. This development brings a significant amount of data centre capacity to Britain, contributing to the government’s AI growth ambition. "But this investment goes far beyond building the infrastructure needed to unlock the UK’s digital potential; it’s the evolution of an ongoing partnership with the local and national community.” Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, comments, “This £3.9 billion investment is a huge win for Britain. It will give businesses - from life sciences to high street banks - the ability to connect to thousands of other businesses across the world in an instant, powering our AI ambitions, boosting growth and creating hundreds of well-paid jobs. "This is about making sure the UK is at the forefront of the digital revolution and ensuring that every community benefits from the opportunities this new technology brings.” Luisa Cardani, Head of Data Centres at techUK, adds, “This announcement reflects the scale of opportunity the UK has to strengthen its digital foundations. "As highlighted in our Foundations for the Future report, data centres are the backbone of our economy: they enable innovation, productivity, and growth across every sector. "Continued investment in sustainable, resilient digital infrastructure will be critical to delivering on the UK’s ambitions for AI and long-term economic prosperity.” Sustainability measures and site plans The company states that all its sites in Europe, including the UK, are powered by 100% renewable energy, and it is targeting global coverage by 2030. At the Hertfordshire campus, Equinix plans to use dry-cooling technology, to retain more than half the land as open space, and to create ecological habitats to achieve at least a 10% biodiversity net gain. Equinix also says the campus will be designed to enable heat reuse for local benefit in the future. The company’s existing UK presence includes 14 data centres, which support UK-based and global customers, and heat export capability across sites. For more from Equinix, click here.

Data centre spending to quadruple by 2029 across UK

Spending on new data centres across Britain is set to reach an incredible £10 billion per year by 2029, according to new analysis by construction data experts Barbour ABI. That is more than four times as much as the current £1.75 billion being spent per annum. Atop this, the report states that, as investors seek cheaper land costs and cooler climates, the data centre drive will spread north - away from just London - and into Wales. Nearly 100 data centres are currently in planning, with strong growth driven by demand from AI technologies and the internet of things (IoT). The impact of this rapid growth “With exponential growth of this kind, sustainability must be at the forefront of industry strategy if we are to avoid an environmental disaster,” notes Ed Griffiths, Head of Business and Client Analytics at Barbour ABI. “Data centres are now recognised as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). However, given the immense power they consume, operators will come under growing pressure to adopt greener practices. “While many firms are pledging to use 100% renewable energy and implement energy-efficient technologies, there is currently no requirement to report energy usage publicly, so it will be difficult to hold them to account.” As the need for data processing accelerates, the market is forecast to attract over £25 billion in inward investment over the next five years, according to Barbour’s latest data centre construction market report. This surge in capital is reshaping the data centre construction landscape, with a rapid pipeline of new developments already underway. Hyperscale facilities outside of urban areas Growth is being supported by government initiatives such as 'AI Growth Zones', which aim to streamline the planning process and support the delivery of new infrastructure. “The impact of AI is one of the most significant trends shaping the future of the data centre industry,” continues Ed. “As AI technologies become integrated into daily operations, the need for high-performance data centres is becoming critical. "Operators are investing in hyperscale facilities outside of urban areas, designed to manage immense computing workloads.” While London and the Southeast have traditionally dominated the sector, data centre development is now expanding nationwide. Barbour ABI found that regions such as the Northeast, East of England, and Wales are becoming increasingly attractive for new projects. This shift is being driven by greater land availability, lower costs, cooler climates, access to renewable energy, and targeted regional growth policies. The UK’s largest planned data centre project is located at Northumberland Energy Park in Blyth. Backed by US asset management firm Blackstone, the development is expected to be worth £10 billion. Whilst the sector seems ripe for investors looking for big wins in the next few years, Ed does add a note of caution, stating, “While the headline story for data centres is one of growth and innovation, the industry faces real challenges. "Rising energy costs, constraints on supply and land, planning barriers, and a shortage of skilled labour could all affect the pace of expansion.”

nLighten reports first ICFEn scores for UK, Germany, Spain

nLighten, a European data centre operator, has announced the first Integrated Carbon-Free Energy (ICFEn) scores for its data centres in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain, something the company considers a significant step in how environmental performance is measured within the sector. Developed in collaboration with the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), nLighten says the ICFEn framework introduces a more comprehensive approach to sustainability reporting by assessing hourly carbon-free energy matching, heat recovery, and contributions to grid stability. Unlike traditional metrics that rely on annual averages or focus solely on energy consumption, the company notes that ICFEn provides real-time insights into how facilities contribute to decarbonisation through energy reuse and system integration. A new framework for transparent environmental reporting The ICFEn model builds upon the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy concept by including three key elements: hourly renewable electricity matching, heat recovery, and grid stabilisation. This combined methodology aligns with the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, as well as sustainability standards such as the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol and the Science Based Targets initiative. Chad McCarthy, Chief Technology Officer at nLighten, comments, “Traditional sustainability metrics have focused on the data centre’s electrical energy profile, but ICFEn integrates the data centre into a community energy system, accounting for both consumption and contribution. "By including heat recovery and real-time renewable energy matching, we’re offering customers and stakeholders unprecedented transparency about our environmental impact, hour by hour, not just as year-end averages.” nLighten’s facilities in the UK, Germany, and Spain achieved good ICFEn scores through renewable power purchase agreements and heat recovery initiatives. Its UK data centres recorded an ICFEn score of 94.61%, higher than the regional carbon-free energy grid average of 56.47%. The company achieves hourly renewable energy matching by integrating renewable assets into its portfolio and aligning their production with operational demand in real time. This aims to ensure that data centres are powered by clean energy when it is actively being consumed. Francesco Marasco, Vice President of Energy Operations and Sustainability at nLighten, adds, “We’re not just measuring renewable energy consumption, but quantifying environmental improvement through sustainable projects, for which we share the calculation method transparently. "The ICFEn methodology allows us to demonstrate measurable, system-wide benefits that lower community emissions. We encourage other operators to adopt this framework, as raising awareness of data centres’ environmental contributions benefits the wider sector.” Encouraging wider adoption nLighten has made the ICFEn methodology publicly available under a Creative Commons licence to encourage industry-wide adoption. The framework’s release coincides with updates to the GHG Protocol, which are expected to introduce hourly-based renewable energy reporting requirements. The company plans to extend ICFEn reporting to all European sites and introduce third-party verification of hourly energy and heat recovery data as part of its next phase of implementation. For more from nLighten, click here.

Data Centre Congress Global returns in 2026

Data Centre Expo Global is set to return to Olympia London on 4–5 February 2026, bringing together global leaders and innovators from across the digital infrastructure ecosystem to explore the future of green data, intelligent investment, and resilient physical infrastructure. Driving sustainable growth through innovation and investment Under this year’s themes of green investment, digital innovation, and physical infrastructure, the programme will spotlight how operators are redefining the foundations of data centres. Expect deep explorations of decarbonisation strategies, circular and modular design, grid integration, advanced cooling, power systems innovation, and sustainable site planning. Sessions will also examine how digital innovation is reshaping infrastructure, from AI-driven operations, automation, and control systems to next-generation materials, software-defined infrastructure, and data centre architectures that flex with demand and resilience requirements. Hyperscale, edge, and ensuring infrastructure resilience On the day two track, speakers will explore how hyperscale and edge infrastructures must evolve to serve a distributed, latency-sensitive, resilient future. Topics include data sovereignty, resilient connectivity, distributed compute, AI orchestration, fault tolerance, and hybrid edge-cloud architectures. The focus will remain squarely on designing systems that sustain performance under evolving stressors and threats. Hear from leading voices in digital infrastructure Attendees will gain first-hand insight from distinguished industry leaders, including: ● Elena Rehman, EMEA Head for Data Center Land Development, Microsoft● Kenneth Dalton, Operations Director, Global Switch● Vladimir Prodanovic, Principal Product Manager, NVIDIA● Susanna Kass, Data Center Advisor (UNSDG-EP)● Wilfried Dudink, Senior Director, Strategy & Development, Digital Realty● Joe Hurman, Principal Consultant, STL Partners● Steve Hone, CEO and co-founder, DCA (Data Centre Alliance)● Venessa Moffat, Advisory Board Member, DCA These experts will share case studies, forecasts, technical deep dives, and actionable guidance to help decision-makers across data centre and infrastructure industries. A hub for cross-domain collaboration Co-located with Cyber Security & Cloud Expo, AI & Big Data Expo, IoT Tech Expo, Digital Transformation Week, Cloud Transformation Conference, Edge Computing Expo and the Intelligent Automation Conference, the Expo will offer delegates exposure to the full spectrum of digital infrastructure trends and challenges. This integrated environment aims to foster "serendipitous connections and cross-industry innovation." Nearly 8,000 attendees, 150 exhibitors, and over 200 speakers are expected to convene in London to chart the course of next-generation infrastructure. To be a part of it, you can review the full agenda, explore the speaker list, or register for a free or 'Gold' pass by visiting the event's website.

AWS outage sparks call for resilient DC strategies

This Monday’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage demonstrates the importance of investing in resilient data centre strategies, according to maintenance specialists Arfon Engineering. The worldwide outage saw millions unable to access popular apps and websites - including Alexa, Snapchat, and Reddit - after a Domain Name System (DNS) error took down the major AWS data centre site in Virginia. With hundreds of platforms down for over eight hours, it was the largest internet disruption since a CrowdStrike update caused a global IT meltdown last year. The financial impact of the crash is expected to reach into the hundreds of billions, while the potential reputational damage could be even more severe in the long run. A preventable disaster Although not caused by a lack of maintenance or physical malfunction of equipment and building services, the consequences of the downtime do reflect an opportunity for operators to adopt predictive maintenance strategies. Alice Oakes, Service and Support Manager at Arfon, comments, “The chaos brought by Monday’s outage shows the sheer damage that can be caused by something as simple servers going down. "While it might’ve been unavoidable, this is certainly not the case for downtime caused by equipment failures and reactive maintenance. “This is where predictive maintenance can make a real difference; it's more resilient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible than typical reactive or preventative approaches, presenting operators with the chance to stay ahead of potential issues.” Predictive maintenance strategies incorporate condition-based monitoring (CBM), which uses real-time data to assess equipment health and forecast potential failures well in advance. This enables informed and proactive maintenance decisions before the point of downtime, eliminating unnecessary interventions and extending asset life in the process. CBM also reduces the frequency of unnecessary replacements, contributing to lower carbon emissions and reduced energy consumption in a sector under scrutiny for its environmental impact. Alice continues, “This incident is a timely reminder that resilience should be built into every layer of data centre infrastructure, especially the physical equipment powering them. "With billions set to be invested in UK data centres over the coming years, operators have a golden opportunity to future-proof their facilities. “Predictive maintenance should be cornerstone of both new-build and retrofit facilities to adapt to ensure continuity in a sector where downtime simply isn’t an option.”

Kao Data unveils blueprint to accelerate UK AI ambitions

Kao Data, a specialist developer and operator of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing, has released a strategic report charting a clear path to accelerate the UK's AI ambitions in support of the UK Government's AI Opportunities Action Plan. The report, AI Taking, Not Making, delivers practical recommendations to bridge the gap between government and industry - helping organisations to capitalise on the recent £31 billion in commitments from leading US technology firms including Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and CoreWeave, and highlighting key pitfalls which could prevent them from materialising. Drawing on Kao Data's expertise in delivering hyperscale-inspired AI infrastructure, the report identifies three strategic pillars which must be addressed for the UK to secure the much-anticipated economic boost from the Government’s Plan for Change. Key areas include energy pricing and grid modernisation, proposed amendments to the UK’s AI copyright laws, and coordinated investment strategies across the country’s energy and data centre infrastructure systems. "Matt Clifford's AI Opportunities Action Plan has galvanised the industry around a bold vision for Britain's digital future, and the recent investment pledges from global technology leaders signals tremendous confidence in our potential," says Spencer Lamb, MD & CCO of Kao Data. "What's needed now is focused collaboration between industry and government to transform these commitments into world-class infrastructure. Our new report offers a practical roadmap to make this happen - drawing on our experience developing data centres, engineered for AI and advanced computing, and operating those which already power some of the world's most demanding workloads." The new Kao Data report outlines concrete opportunities for partnership across a series of strategic pillars, including integrating data centres into Energy Intensive Industry (EII) frameworks, implementing zonal power pricing near renewable energy generation and accelerating grid modernisation to unlock the projected 10GW AI opportunity by 2030. Additionally, the report proposes new measures to evolve UK AI copyright law with a pragmatic approach that protects creative industries whilst ensuring Britain remains a competitive location for the large-scale AI training deployments essential for attracting frontier AI workloads. Further, the paper shares key considerations to optimise the government's AI Growth Zones (AIGZs), defining benefit structures that create stronger alignment between public infrastructure programmes and the private sector to ensure rapid deployment of sovereign UK AI capacity. "Britain possesses extraordinary advantages, world-leading research institutions, exceptional engineering talent, and now substantial investment to back the country’s AI ambitions," Spencer continues. "By working in partnership with government, we believe we can transform these strengths into the physical infrastructure that will power the next generation of industrial-scale AI innovations and deliver solutions that position the UK at the forefront of the global AI race." To download the full report, click here. For more from Kao Data, click here.

Start Campus, Nscale to deploy NVIDIA Blackwell in the EU

Start Campus, a designer, builder, and operator of sustainable data centres, in partnership with hyperscaler Nscale, has announced one of the European Union’s first deployments of the NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 platform at its SIN01 data centre in Sines, Portugal. The project supports Microsoft’s AI infrastructure strategy and marks a milestone in the development of advanced, sovereign AI capacity within the EU. Nscale, a European-headquartered AI infrastructure company operating globally, selected Start Campus’s site for its strategic location, readiness, and scalability. The first phase of the deployment is scheduled to go live in early 2026 at the SINES Data Campus. High-density power to support next-generation AI The NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 platform is designed for high-performance AI inference and training workloads, supporting larger and more complex model development. Start Campus says the installation will accommodate rack densities exceeding 130 kW, with power and cooling systems engineered to meet the requirements of ultra-dense AI computing. Portugal’s government has welcomed the investment as a key step in strengthening the country’s position in the European digital economy. Castro Almeida, Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, comments, “This investment in Sines confirms international confidence in Portugal as a destination for innovation and technology. It strengthens our position in the global digital economy and supports high-value job creation.” Miguel Pinto Luz, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, adds, “Start Campus illustrates how digital and infrastructure strategies can align to deliver long-term sustainability. "Sines demonstrates the convergence of the digital transition with Portugal’s geographic advantages - particularly its port, which plays a strategic role in connecting new submarine cables and enabling low-carbon investment.” Recent research by Copenhagen Economics projects that data centre investment could contribute up to €26 billion (£22.6 billion) to Portugal’s GDP by 2030, creating tens of thousands of jobs. Portugal’s location supports strong connectivity through high-capacity subsea cables such as Equiano, 2Africa, and EllaLink, providing low-latency global links. Data from national grid operator Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN) shows that renewable energy supplied 71% of Portugal’s electricity consumption in 2024, rising to 81% in early 2025. The country’s energy costs also remain below EU and Euro Area averages. The next steps Robert Dunn, CEO of Start Campus, says, “With SIN01 now at full capacity and expanding to meet demand, we have demonstrated that the SINES Data Campus is ready for ultra-dense, next-generation AI workloads. "Partnering with Nscale and NVIDIA on this deployment highlights Portugal’s role as a leader in sustainable AI infrastructure.” The company is also progressing work on its next facility, the 180 MW SIN02 data centre, which will form part of the same campus. Josh Payne, CEO and founder of Nscale, notes, “AI requires an environment that combines scale, resilience, and sustainability. This deployment demonstrates our ability to deliver advanced infrastructure in the European Union while meeting the technical demands of modern workloads. "Partnering with Start Campus allows us to lay the groundwork for the next generation of AI.” Nscale is expanding its European footprint, including building the UK’s largest AI supercomputer with Microsoft at its Loughton campus and partnering with Aker ASA on Stargate Norway - a joint venture linked to multi-billion-euro agreements with Microsoft. For more from Start Campus, click here.

Rewiring the data centre

In this exclusive article for DCNN, Will Stewart, Global Senior Industry Segment Manager Lead, Smart Infrastructure and Mobility at HARTING, explores how modularity, power density, and sustainability are converging to redefine how facilities are built, cooled, and scaled: Building smarter infrastructure for the AI age Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from hype to headline, impacting everything from health diagnostics to financial analysis. While the public marvels at AI breakthroughs, the engines powering these advances - the world’s data centres - face growing, behind-the-scenes challenges. As organisations expand their AI capabilities, the energy needed to support modern computing infrastructure is rising at an unprecedented rate. Current research projects that global data centre power demand will increase by 50% as soon as 2027 and 165% by 2030, with much of this surge attributed to AI workloads’ explosive growth. Already, data centres account for approximately 2% of worldwide electricity consumption and forecasts suggest this share will continue its upward march. The resulting strain extends beyond server rooms; it is currently reshaping energy supply chains, policy priorities, and environmental strategy across industries. Rising to the infrastructure challenge Serving next-generation, AI-driven applications requires a dramatic rethink of traditional data centre design. Historically, a data centre’s infrastructure balanced a mix of physical and virtual resources - servers, storage, networking, power distribution units, cooling systems, security protocols, and supporting elements like racks and fire suppression - all engineered for reliability and uptime. AI’s energy-hungry, compute-intensive tasks have shattered these historical balances. Data centres today must deliver far more power to denser racks, operate reliably under heavier loads, and deploy new capacity at speeds unimaginable even a decade ago. These requirements are putting immense pressure on every inch of physical infrastructure, from the electrical grid connection to the server cabinet. Navigating power and cooling demands One of the most acute challenges is arising from escalating power and cooling needs. Where historical rack architecture required 16 or 32A, current designs push 70, 100, or even 200A, often in the same amount of physical rack space. These giant increases not only generate more heat, but require thicker, less flexible power cabling, raising new problems for deployment and ongoing maintenance. Efficiently removing heat from ever-denser configurations is a major engineering feat. Next-generation cooling technologies - ranging from liquid cooling to full-system immersion - are becoming essential rather than optional. At the same time, every connection point and cable run becomes a potential source of inefficiency or risk. Operators can no longer afford energy loss, heat generation, or even the downtime that results from outdated power distribution or poorly optimised layouts. The space and scalability constraint AI workloads are increasingly mission-critical. Even short interruptions in data centre uptime can lead to significant financial loss or damaging outages for users and services. With power loads climbing fast and every square foot optimised, the need for trustworthy, quickly serviceable infrastructure grows more urgent. Reliable system operation is now a defining competitive factor for data centre operators. To complicate matters further, capacity needs are accelerating, but available space remains finite. In many regions, the cost and scarcity of real estate forces data centres to pack as much compute and power as possible into smaller footprints. As higher-power architectures proliferate, the infrastructure supporting them - from power to networking - must become more compact and adaptable, maintaining robust operation without sacrificing maintainability or safety. Because new workloads can spike unpredictably, data centre leaders now require infrastructure that can be rapidly scaled up, upgraded, or reconfigured, sometimes within days rather than months. The traditional model of labour-intensive rewiring is proving unsustainable in today’s emerging reality. Sustainability in the spotlight Environmental scrutiny from regulators, investors, and end-users places data centres at the heart of the global decarbonisation agenda. Facilities must now integrate renewable energy, maximise electrical efficiency, and minimise overall carbon footprints while delivering more power each year. But achieving these goals demands holistic change from energy procurement and grid strategy down to every connector, cable, and cooling loop inside the facility. The challenges of the AI era are being met with new ideas at every level of the data centre: smarter building management systems now orchestrate lighting, thermal control, and energy use with unprecedented efficiency; cooling technologies are evolving quickly, as operators push beyond the limits of traditional air-based systems; advanced power distribution and grid connectivity solutions are enabling better load balancing, more reliable energy supply, and easier renewable integration. Within this broad transformation, the move towards modular, plug-and-play connections - sometimes called connectorisation - is having a dramatic impact. Unlike hardwired installations - which are slow to deploy, often hard to scale and maintain, and require specialised labour that is often unavailable - connectorised infrastructure supports pre-assembled, pre-tested units that can be installed in days rather than weeks and by the workforce that is already available on-site. This not only gets new capacity online faster, but also reduces the opportunity for error, simplifies expansions, and supports higher power throughput within constrained spaces. Connectors designed for current and future demands minimise heat and energy loss, enhance reliability, and simplify upgrades. Maintenance is easier and faster, with less need for specialised expertise and less operational downtime. These modular technologies are also helping data centres better optimise their architecture, manage complex workloads, and future-proof their operations. Cooperation and adaptation in a complex landscape Modernising data centre infrastructure is not simply a technical challenge, but one that requires broad collaboration between technology vendors, utilities, cloud providers, regulators, and policymakers. Federal incentives, innovative funding, and public-private partnerships are all working in support of grid modernisation efforts, while the need for flexibility in design and operation allows data centres to adapt to regional differences in energy supply, regulation, and demand. While AI has redefined what is possible, it has also redefined what is required behind the scenes. Data centre infrastructure must evolve rapidly - becoming not only larger, but smarter, faster, and greener. Every connection system and square foot now counts in the race to keep up with exponential demand. For more from HARTING, click here.