Data Centre Projects: Infrastructure Builds, Innovations & Updates

Castleforge, Galaxy to expand £500m Redhill campus

Real estate investor Castleforge and Galaxy Data Centers, a data centre operator and advisory firm, have secured planning consent to expand their Redhill data centre campus, situated near London, with a new 15MW facility set to be developed. Approved by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, the project will add four data halls as part of a two-storey building on the existing site at Foxboro Business Park. The expansion forms part of a wider programme that could see total investment in the campus reach around £500 million. The Redhill site, located on a 3.1-hectare industrial estate, will also include an office building and is designed to support future growth in digital infrastructure capacity across the London market. The project follows a previous investment of more than £100 million in the campus in 2024, with a further £200 million expected as part of the next phase. A focus on low-carbon data centre development The new facility is designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating and will incorporate low- and zero-carbon technologies. Waste heat generated by the data centre will be reused on site, with infrastructure in place to enable future export to a nearby residential heat network. The expansion reflects continued demand for data centre capacity in and around London, driven by AI, cloud computing, and hybrid workloads. Limited power availability and planning constraints have made existing sites increasingly important for new development. Mike Adcock, Head of Investments at Castleforge, says, "Securing planning consent for our new development at Redhill is a major milestone in our plans to deliver high-quality, sustainable digital infrastructure to one of the world's most important data centre markets." Paul Leong, Chief Financial Officer and Partner at Galaxy Data Centers, adds, "This planning consent is a pivotal step in realising the long-term vision we set out when we acquired [the Redhill site] alongside Castleforge." The Redhill campus currently spans 11,800m² across three buildings and serves customers including enterprises in financial services and AI. The site benefits from access to renewable energy, low-latency connectivity to hubs such as Slough and London Docklands, and available space for further expansion. Construction timelines have not yet been confirmed, with further development milestones expected to be announced.

Legrand cooling selected for 'Europe’s largest AI campus'

Legrand, a French multinational infrastructure products manufacturer, has been selected by Start Campus, a designer, builder, and operator of sustainable data centres, to supply cooling technology for a large-scale data centre development in Sines, Portugal. The project forms part of a planned 1.2GW campus designed to support AI, cloud computing, and high-performance workloads. Legrand will deploy its rear-door heat exchanger technology, developed by its USystems brand, to provide rack-level cooling across the site. The Sines campus is powered by renewable energy and is targeting a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.1 and a water usage effectiveness (WUE) of 0, using seawater cooling to support high-density environments. Robert Dunn, CEO of Start Campus, says, "These are very technically challenging projects, so we need to work with the best in the business to meet those complex challenges." Cooling technology for high-density workloads The cooling system operates at rack level, removing heat directly at source by cooling exhaust air before it enters the wider data hall. This approach reduces reliance on traditional air-cooling methods and supports higher rack densities. Legrand states that the system can reduce cooling-related power consumption compared with conventional approaches, whilst also maintaining stable thermal conditions. The technology additionally adjusts cooling capacity in real time to match operational requirements, supporting efficiency and performance across the facility. Rita Lourenço, Key Account Manager - Critical Power at Legrand, notes, "The full lifecycle partnership [...] includes knowledge sharing, maintenance support, proactive problem detection, and long-term collaboration beyond commissioning." The two companies state their partnership includes ongoing support and maintenance, alongside the initial deployment of the cooling systems. For more from Legrand, click here.

Hudson IX expands 60 Hudson Street capacity

Hudson InterXchange (Hudson IX), a New York-based carrier-neutral colocation and interconnection data centre provider, has added a new 1MW data hall at 60 Hudson Street in New York, USA, increasing available capacity at one of the city’s most connected carrier hotels. The facility is now operational and available for high-density colocation deployments. A second 1MW data hall is scheduled to come online in the second quarter of 2026, with longer-term plans to expand total capacity at the site beyond 10MW. The expansion comes as data centre space and power availability remain limited across the New York City market, particularly in locations with established network connectivity. 60 Hudson Street continues to act as a key interconnection hub, hosting more than 300 carriers and service providers. The latest development introduces additional capacity within this environment, enabling organisations to deploy infrastructure close to network providers and end users. Additional capacity in a constrained market Hudson IX is among a small number of operators currently adding new capacity within the building, supported by available power for future deployments. The new data hall is designed to support a range of requirements, including network providers, content delivery networks, cloud platforms, enterprises, and financial services organisations. The company notes it can accommodate both standard and high-density installations, including workloads linked to AI and other compute-intensive applications. Atul Roy of Hudson InterXchange says, "This expansion is the result of our remarkable team and its commitment to delivering a large, world-class, high-performance data centre platform with scalable solutions ranging from single cabinets to bespoke cages." Further expansion is planned as part of a wider roadmap to increase total capacity at the site beyond 10MW, supporting continued demand for colocation and interconnection in the New York metro area. For more from Hudson IX, click here.

1547's Orangeburg data centre reaches full occupancy

Harrison Street Asset Management and fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty (1547), a developer and operator of interconnected data centres and carrier hotels across North America, have completed the latest expansion phase of their Orangeburg data centre in New York, with the facility now fully leased and operating at near-full utilisation. The colocation site, located around 18 miles (28.9 kilometres) north of Manhattan, provides capacity for tenants requiring proximity to New York City and access to established connectivity routes. Originally supporting 3.7 MW of IT load when acquired in 2021, the joint venture has since added approximately 14 MW of capacity while increasing density across the existing 232,000ft² (21,553m²) facility. A further 12MW utility feed is currently under development, with additional long-term expansion plans in place. The site has outline approval for a new 230,000ft² (21,367m²) building, supported by a planned 60MW on-site substation. Expansion driven by connectivity demand The Greater New York data centre market remains one of the largest in the US, supported by multiple terrestrial fibre routes and subsea cable landings along Long Island and New Jersey, enabling international connectivity, particularly with Europe. The Orangeburg facility now supports around 18 MW of IT load and has reached near-full utilisation following recent leasing activity. Demand is primarily driven by financial services organisations, including banks, trading platforms, and hedge funds, which require low-latency connectivity to Manhattan. Michael Hochanadel, Head of Digital Assets at Harrison Street Asset Management, comments, "The Orangeburg data centre exemplifies our approach to digital infrastructure investing, pairing strategic locations with disciplined demand-driven expansion." J Todd Raymond, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of 1547, adds, "From day one, our focus has been on delivering capacity in direct response to customer demand while maintaining the performance and reliability our clients depend on." Since 2018, Harrison Street Asset Management’s digital investment platform has committed more than $6.5 billion (£4.8 billion) to data centre and connectivity infrastructure, including powered shells, carrier hotels, colocation facilities, and dark fibre networks. For more from 1547, click here.

€50bn Croatia AI data centre investment announced

Pantheon Atlas, a transatlantic-led investment group, has announced plans to develop a hyperscale AI data centre and innovation campus in Topusko, Croatia, with total investment expected to exceed €50 billion (£43 billion). This is reportedly the largest investment of its kind in Croatian history and among the largest private US investments in Europe. The project, known as Pantheon AI, is intended to address growing demand for AI-driven data centre capacity across Europe, where availability of power, land, and construction resources remains constrained. The development is being delivered by a transatlantic investment group combining US capital with local expertise in Croatia, including regulatory and grid access experience. The announcement was made at the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Dubrovnik. Pantheon AI is designed to meet NVIDIA’s gigawatt-scale AI factory standards and is expected to offer high levels of availability, exceeding Tier IV benchmarks. Jako Andabak, Founding Partner at Pantheon AI, comments, "Pantheon AI is a signal to the world that Croatia is open for the highest-caliber investment. "This project is the culmination of years of work to bring world-class digital infrastructure to Croatia." Addressing European data centre capacity Across Europe, established data centre markets are operating with limited vacancy, while grid connection delays continue to affect new developments. Demand in Central and Eastern Europe is expected to increase significantly by 2035, particularly as AI workloads expand and regulatory requirements encourage data to be stored within EU borders. Ryan Rich, Managing Partner at Pantheon AI, explains, "We have assembled a transatlantic partnership to solve one of the most pressing challenges in global digital infrastructure: enabling hyperscale operators to meet AI-driven demand at scale." The project is expected to support up to 5.2 GW of renewable energy integration into Croatia’s grid. It will include an on-site solar installation and battery storage, alongside multiple fibre connections across European network corridors. Joshua Volz, Special Envoy for Global Energy Integration at the US Department of Energy, says, "Critical infrastructure of this scale, built by the private sector responding to real market demand, is exactly how US interests and European security advance together." Construction of the campus is scheduled to begin in early 2027, with operations expected to start in the first quarter of 2029. The initial phase represents a €12 billion (£10 billion) investment, with additional funding anticipated as tenants deploy infrastructure. The campus will have a planned capacity of 1GW, including 800MW of usable IT load, and will span approximately 310 acres (1.2 km²), with expansion potential. The development is expected to create around 1,500 permanent roles, alongside 3,000 jobs during construction.

Pure DC expands its Middle East data centres

Pure Data Centres Group (Pure DC), a designer, developer, and operator of hyperscale data centres, has confirmed further investment in the Middle East, including a capacity increase at its Abu Dhabi campus and new development plans in Saudi Arabia. The company has received final approval from TAQA to expand IT capacity at its AUH01 site in Abu Dhabi from 41MW to 48MW. The increase has been achieved through design optimisation and the addition of new power infrastructure, supporting additional demand including AI workloads. The AUH01 campus is located on a 16-acre (64,749m²) site and is designed for phased expansion. One 20MW building is already operational, with initial data hall capacity delivered to a hyperscale customer in 2025. The site uses a combination of air and liquid cooling to support different deployment requirements. Pure DC has also matched 100% of the electricity used at AUH01 in 2025 with International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-RECs), sourced from solar generation at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in the UAE. This approach aims to support reduced carbon intensity for operations and contribute to market-based Scope 2 emissions targets. Regional growth plans Alongside its UAE operations, Pure DC has entered a joint venture with Dune Vaults to develop a hyperscale data centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The RUH01 campus will be built on a 270,000m² site, with an initial design capacity of 57.6MW across two buildings. The development has potential to scale beyond 100MW as demand increases. Gary Wojtaszek, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO at Pure DC, comments, “We remain deeply committed to the Middle East and grateful for support we continue to receive from authorities across the UAE and KSA in the current climate. "Our sites are delivering uninterrupted service, reflecting the resilience and reliability that underpins our presence in the region. While the current macro-political environment may have slowed sector investment, digital demand remains unchanged. "The region’s ambitious national visions recognise the transformation enabled by digital government, enterprise modernisation, and a future-ready workforce. Pure DC is fully committed to contributing to that future through the continued development and operation of world-class digital infrastructure across the Middle East.” For more from Pure DC, click here.

Wärtsilä secures 790MW Texas data centre deal

Wärtsilä, a Finnish technology company that manufactures and services power systems, has secured an order to supply a 790MW off-grid power system for a data centre under construction in Texas, USA. The project will use 42 Wärtsilä 50SG gas engines operating on natural gas to provide primary power for the facility. The order was recorded in the company’s Q2 2026 intake and represents its first data centre-related project in Texas. The deployment reflects growing demand for power in regions where grid capacity is constrained, particularly as large-scale AI and cloud infrastructure continues to expand. Wärtsilä’s engine-based system is designed to deliver continuous power without reliance on the grid, supporting early-stage operations while grid connections are developed or where capacity is limited. Engine-based power for off-grid deployment The selected engines are capable of operating at full output in high temperatures, which is a key consideration for projects in Texas. The system is also designed to support efficiency and emissions requirements, with a heat rate of approximately 6,800 Btu/kWh. The modular configuration allows capacity to be scaled as demand increases, while also enabling integration with renewable energy sources where available. Anders Lindberg, President of Wärtsilä Energy and Executive Vice President of Wärtsilä, comments, “Wärtsilä’s primary power solutions offer significant benefits to data centre developers by providing continuous, reliable primary power while using significantly less water and fuel than traditional alternatives. "Also, our power solutions ramp up quickly and offer a dependable and sustainable foundation for delivering power availability, which is vital for AI and cloud operators. "Our modular engine power plants allow easy capacity scale-ups, making them an ideal choice for the fast-growing data centre market.” Texas continues to attract data centre development due to its access to natural gas resources, established energy infrastructure, and growing renewable generation capacity. Engine-based systems can also be used to support grid balancing once a facility is connected. Equipment delivery for the project is scheduled for 2028, with full operations expected by late 2029. Wärtsilä has now supplied more than 2.4GW of power capacity to data centre projects across the United States.

Yondr powers up 27MW Toronto data centre

Yondr Group, a global developer, owner, and operator of hyperscale data centres, has energised its 27MW data centre in Toronto, marking its entry into the Canadian market. The 4.5-acre (18,211m²) site is expected to be ready for service in mid-2026 and forms part of the company’s wider expansion across North America and Europe. The facility is designed to provide hyperscale capacity to support growing demand for digital infrastructure in the region. The data centre incorporates a closed-loop cooling system to reduce water usage and has been developed in line with the Toronto Green Standard. The site also includes electric vehicle charging points, cycle parking, bird-friendly glazing, and landscaping using native and pollinator plant species. Yondr states that the development aligns with its target to achieve net zero scope one and two emissions by 2030. Sustainability and community engagement initiatives Alongside the build, Yondr has partnered with the University of Toronto to support a scholarship programme for undergraduate students across disciplines including computer science, commerce, life sciences, and physical sciences. The programme offers awards of up to CA$5,000 (£2,700), with two students supported to date. The company has also contributed to local initiatives, including pre-apprenticeship placements, apprentice site tours, support for youth sports teams, and a tree planting event linked to Earth Day. John Madden, Chief Data Center Officer at Yondr Group, says, “We’re proud to mark the energisation of our Toronto data centre campus - a major milestone that moves us another step closer to delivering critical digital infrastructure for the region. "Demand for capacity is accelerating at a pace we’ve never experienced before, driven by AI scale and a shift towards compute-led economies. Our Toronto campus forms a key part of Yondr’s strategy to deliver the next generation of sustainable, high-performance data centre capacity across North America and beyond.” Todd Sauer, VP Design & Construction Americas at Yondr Group, adds, “This campus has been designed with future demand and long-term environmental responsibility in mind, integrating innovative cooling efficiency, resilience, and local sustainability standards from the outset. "Combined with our delivery model and rapid campus deployment approach, we’re unlocking speed, scale, and certainty for customers as they plan the digital infrastructure of tomorrow. “We’re committed to building not just capacity, but lasting value. From delivering hyperscale-ready infrastructure to working with academic partners like the University of Toronto to invest in future talent pipelines, this project represents a significant commitment to the region and its long-term digital growth.” For more from Yondr Group, click here.

ECL developing 35MW Santa Clara data centre

ECL, a US data-centre-as-a-service company, has announced plans to develop a 35MW data centre in Santa Clara, California, USA, designed to support high-density AI workloads using a mix of power sources. The facility, known as CSC-1, will combine on-grid electricity with hydrogen and natural gas generation. The approach is intended to address growing demand for power in data centre markets where grid capacity is limited. CSC-1 will launch with rack densities ranging from 75kW to 270kW, and the site is based on ECL’s FlexGrid architecture, which integrates multiple power inputs and is designed to operate alongside local utility infrastructure. The system is expected to deliver a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of below 1.15 while supporting lower emissions through a combination of cooling methods. The development will follow a phased approach, starting with an initial 2.5MW deployment and scaling up to full capacity as demand increases. This model is intended to allow operators to begin AI workloads earlier, without waiting for full site completion. Modular power approach addresses grid constraints Northern California remains a constrained market for data centre power, with delays in grid connections affecting new developments. As a result, alternative approaches such as on-site power generation are becoming more widely adopted. ECL’s FlexGrid system uses modular power blocks that can be deployed incrementally. This allows capacity to be added over time, aligning infrastructure growth with demand for AI compute. The system also incorporates different cooling methods, including direct-to-chip and air cooling. When hydrogen is used as a power source, by-product water can be reused within the cooling process, reducing the need for additional water supply. The architecture is designed to meet Tier III-level reliability requirements and includes a real-time management platform to monitor and adjust power generation, cooling, and rack-level operations. Yuval Bachar, Co-founder and CEO of ECL, comments, “A 35MW facility delivered in Santa Clara in under a year would have been unthinkable through traditional grid-connected development. "Every major AI operator in the Bay Area is staring at the same maths, with years-long interconnection queues pitted against AI deployment needs that are growing by the minute. "By phasing growth through modular power blocks, ECL matches infrastructure deployment to the actual pace of AI demand rather than forcing customers to overbuild or wait. This site demonstrates that power architecture itself can become the enabling layer for AI scale rather than the constraint.” ECL is currently accepting enquiries from prospective tenants for the site. For more from ECL, click here.

'AI growth doesn’t have to break the grid'

A UK high‑performance computing (HPC) data centre has reportedly cut its carbon emissions by three quarters while easing pressure on the electricity system, offering a blueprint for how the fast‑growing AI sector can expand without overwhelming the grid. Stellium Datacenters, which operates one the UK's largest purpose-built data centre campuses near Newcastle, has switched to a new way of sourcing electricity. This matches its power use with renewable generation hour by hour, rather than relying on annual averages. The move comes as data centres face mounting scrutiny over their energy use, with concerns growing that AI and cloud computing could strain local grids and push up energy costs. That scrutiny has intensified in recent months, with MPs launching an inquiry through the Environmental Audit Committee into the environmental impact of data centres, including their growing electricity and water use and the pressure they place on local grids. Working with renewable energy supplier Good Energy, Stellium now runs its site on a 100% renewable, hourly‑matched electricity supply, linking consumption directly to power generated by more than 3,300 independent UK renewable generators. This approach allows the company to show exactly when its electricity demand is met by renewable sources, achieving an hourly matching score of 95.4%, more than double the current market average of around 43%. Planned additions, including large-scale battery storage, are expected to lift this to 97–98% while being able to show exactly which UK renewable assets powered the data centre and when. 'Hourly matching' as an improved metric Traditionally, many data centres rely on renewable certificates that show clean electricity was generated somewhere on the grid over a year, even if fossil fuels were used at the time power was actually consumed. Some “100% renewable” tariffs relying on this system mask continued reliance on fossil-fuelled power at precisely the moments when the grid is most constrained. By contrast, hourly matching provides a much clearer picture of real‑world impact, demonstrating which users are sourcing clean, homegrown power versus relying on fossil‑fuelled generation at peak times. Stellium says the change has transformed conversations with customers, regulators, and auditors, particularly global AI and technology firms with strict net zero and reporting requirements. The company says it can now demonstrate, in detail, which renewable assets powered its operations, when they did so, and where they are located. Paul Mellon, Operations Director at Stellium, notes, “Data centres often get bad press for their high, inflexible energy use. But this shows that AI and high‑performance computing don’t have to come at the expense of the grid or the climate. "By switching to hourly‑matched renewable power, we’ve been able to cut emissions dramatically while giving customers the transparency they increasingly demand.” Nigel Pocklington, CEO of Good Energy, adds, “By matching electricity use with renewable generation hour by hour, Stellium can show when clean power is actually being used. "That kind of transparency cuts carbon emissions, reduces reliance on fossil fuels at peak times, and proves that digital growth and a resilient energy system can go hand in hand.” Explosive data centre growth in the UK The case comes as the UK prepares for a major expansion in data centre capacity to support AI, cloud computing, and data‑driven industries. As planners, communities, and policymakers look more closely at how new developments will affect local infrastructure, Stellium’s experience suggests that data centres can respond by sourcing and reporting their energy responsibly, rather than relying on offsetting or misleading annualised accounting. With pressure growing on the sector to prove its environmental credentials, the model demonstrates that practical solutions may already exist, and that AI‑driven growth can be aligned with a cleaner, more resilient electricity system. For more from Stellium Datacenters, click here.