Data Centres

Tract Capital introduces data centre development platform

Tract Capital, an alternative asset manager focused on creating businesses that enable rapid scaling of digital infrastructure, has introduced Fleet Data Centers to programmatically meet the next phase of hyperscale data centre growth. Fleet Data Centers enters the market with a specific focus on mega-scale campuses with a prioritised target of single-user campuses. The Fleet Data Centers team consists of industry veterans who have already made a lasting imprint on the evolution of global digital infrastructure and believe they are uniquely capable of enhancing data centre development scale and operations in the face of rising demand. Tract Capital CEO and Executive Chairman of Fleet, Grant van Rooyen, comments, “We are focused on meeting the capacity and scale needs of tomorrow. Predictable and flexible data centre delivery on large-scale contiguous campuses is the logical solution for customers trying to navigate divergent demand forecasts. “The scope of our opportunity is expanding daily as customers search for new models to replace legacy building blocks and to meet the pace of demand for new infrastructure. Chris and I first worked together 26 years ago. I have immense admiration and respect for his body of work, his leadership anchored by a bias for action, and his character. It is a privilege to welcome him to our business family and to entrust the Fleet business into his capable hands.” Fleet Data Centers intends to build some of the largest data centre campuses in the world, combining gigawatt-level capacity with a campus-based commercial model that gives customers the ability to confidently secure capacity to meet their high-side demand forecasts. Fleet Data Centers’ campuses and operations will be designed in collaboration with customers to deliver seamless augmentation to their existing data centre fleets and access ongoing design innovation to intercept new technologies. Chris Vonderhaar joins Fleet Data Centers as President, most recently coming from Google Cloud where he served as Vice President of Demand and Supply Management. Prior to his time at Google Cloud, Vonderhaar served in a decade-plus tenure at Amazon Web Services (AWS) where he was responsible for the design, planning, construction and operations of the AWS global data centre platform, including energy and sustainability. Vonderhaar is joined by industry veterans from hyperscalers, wholesale data centre providers, network infrastructure providers and equipment vendors, who have collectively deployed dozens of gigawatts of data centre capacity across hundreds of data centres globally. Chris states, “Our team has direct insight into the challenges hyperscalers face as they scale. Designing, building and operating these platforms is getting harder while demand is accelerating. Hyperscalers need infrastructure that is going to deliver predictability and flexibility decades into the future. Our collaborative, long-term model backed by our engineering, system and operational excellence positions Fleet Data Centers to be an integrated extension of our customers’ data centre platforms. Grant and the Tract Capital team have been successfully starting new and innovative businesses for decades and have a proven and respected record of success. I am thrilled to be their partner.”

Michigan state continues to support data centre growth

The Green Building Initiative (GBI) has congratulated Michigan leaders on the finalisation of Senate Bill 237 (SB 237) as a Public Act on 30 December 2024. The new law continues Michigan’s commitment to supporting critical data centre growth, while holding data centre projects accountable to community sustainability priorities. As part of its requirements, the law requires sustainable and resilient design, construction, and operation of these facilities through GBI’s Green Globes certification, among others, within three years of operation. “Michigan joins a number of states and cities who are committed to sustainable data centre development, demonstrated by the passing of SB 237,” says Vicki Worden, GBI President & CEO. “Green Globes is ideally suited to educate, evaluate, and improve data centre operations, creating more efficient and resilient mission critical facilities that are positively contributing to communities.” Senate Bill 237 extends the sunset on a use and sales tax exception from 2035 to 2050, or 2065 if the data centre is located on a brownfield site or a location that was used primarily as a power plant for electricity. Data centres may pursue Green Globes New Construction for projects with less than 12 consecutive months of utility data or Green Globes for Existing Buildings for buildings with 12 or more months of utility data for compliance. To date, nearly 16 million square feet of data centres have been certified or are pursuing Green Globes certification in 17 states and Canada. GBI offers personalised guidance and support throughout the assessment process, multiple compliance pathways for a rigorous, not rigid approach, and matches the data centre industry speed to market. In addition to recognition in SB 237, Green Globes certification serves as a compliance pathway in several tax abatement policies throughout the US, including those in Arizona, Washington, and Illinois. Green Globes certification also contributes to an improved GRESB score, a global benchmarking system, in increasing demand by stakeholders. Companies including Aligned Data Centers, Compass Datacenters, CyrusOne, Equinix, Powerhouse, and Vantage Data Centers have achieved Green Globes certification to demonstrate their commitment to and accountability for sustainability. For more from The Green Building Initiative, click here.

Pure Storage and Micron expand collaboration

Pure Storage, an IT company that delivers advanced data storage technology and services, today announced the expansion of its strategic collaboration with Micron Technology, a global provider of memory and storage solutions. This collaboration enables the high-capacity and energy-efficient solutions that hyperscalers require using Micron G9 QLC NAND for future DirectFlash Module products. The joint effort continues a decade-long initiative of integrating Micron’s latest NAND technology with Pure Storage products, which spans seven generations and includes the Micron G8 QLC NAND qualified for production in Pure Storage’s 150TB DirectFlash Module. Combined with Pure Storage’s advanced data storage platform, the solution delivers a data storage offering with massive drive capacities, high performance, and low latency - while driving architectural simplification and delivering significant energy efficiency improvements. In modern data centres, three critical concerns factor into every storage system - energy efficiency, storage density, and performance. Data centres consume tremendous amounts of power, which is why energy-efficient solutions are critical to managing both operational expenses and the impact on the environment. Additionally, as data centres grow, they remain space-constrained, making every square foot valuable. Operators are continuously challenged to fit more storage into less space. Meanwhile, storage performance is even more important as a competitive advantage because consumers of data centre services expect faster data processing, as the rush to turn data into insights accelerates. Pure Storage and Micron are collaborating to deliver a winning total cost of ownership option versus legacy hard drive-based storage offerings for hyperscalers. The collaboration provides the following benefits: • Improved performance, lower latency: The combination of Pure Storage’s data storage platform with Micron’s advanced NAND technology with strong transfer rates provides ultrafast, low-latency, and reliable services for massive, data-intensive workloads.• Sustainability: This joint solution dramatically reduces the energy consumption over traditional storage options, lowering operating costs and reducing the environmental footprint.• Rack-dense, scalable options: By integrating Micron’s NAND that offers areal density (bits per square millimetre), Pure Storage can deliver highly scalable systems at a reduced total cost of acquisition and ownership.“Pure Storage’s collaboration with Micron is another example of our significant momentum bringing the benefits of all-flash storage technology to hyperscale environments,” says Bill Cerreta, General Manager, Hyperscale, Pure Storage. “With Micron’s advanced NAND technology, Pure Storage can further optimise storage scalability, performance, and energy efficiency for an industry with unparalleled requirements.” “Micron’s advanced NAND technologies, combined with Pure’s innovative storage solutions, enable data centre operators to address the increasing performance, efficiency, and scalability needs for today’s hyperscale data centres,” adds Jeremy Werner, SVP & GM, Storage Business Unit, Micron. “Built on trust and thriving on innovation, our collaboration with Pure Storage consistently offers cutting-edge storage solutions for hyperscale and enterprise environments.” For more from Pure Storage, click here.

365 Data Centers partners with InterServer

365 Data Centers, a provider of network-centric colocation, network, cloud and other managed services, has announced a strategic partnership with InterServer, a web hosting and managed services provider specialising in customised bare metal solutions. This collaboration aims to enhance and expand the companies' joint capabilities, particularly in the growing New Jersey market. The partnership leverages the strengths of both companies to deliver comprehensive IT infrastructure services. InterServer selected 365 Data Centers as its newest colocation provider due to 365's network of 20 data centres across the US, including multiple locations in New Jersey (such as Carlstadt and Bridgewater). This decision aligns with InterServer’s ongoing efforts to expand its presence beyond the Secaucus market, which has traditionally been the company’s core operational hub in the state. Both companies are committed to expanding their presence in the New Jersey market, capitalising on the region's strategic importance as a data centre hub. New Jersey's proximity to New York City, robust infrastructure, and emerging status as a cable landing destination for subsea data traffic make it an ideal location for data centre growth. "365 Data Centers is excited to partner with InterServer to deliver cutting-edge IT infrastructure solutions," says Bob DeSantis, CEO of 365 Data Centers. "Our network-centric data centres in New Jersey, combined with InterServer's expertise in web hosting and cloud services, will provide businesses in the region with unparalleled access to secure, reliable, and scalable IT services." Mike Lavrik, Co-Founder of InterServer, adds, "We're looking forward to forging a great path forward with 365 and we believe that there is a tremendous amount of growth to be had with this partnership. We're really looking to build our relationship with 365 and take it to the next level. We feel that there's an adjacency and a solid partnership to be forged ahead, particularly as we continue to expand our footprint in the New Jersey market." For more from 365 Data Centers, click here.

The data centre liquid cooling market outlook

According to analysis by Persistence Market Research, the data centre liquid cooling market is projected to grow from $4.1 billion in 2024 to $19.4 billion by 2031, at a robust CAGR of 24.6%. This growth, the research firm says, is fuelled by increasing data centre density, the need for energy-efficient cooling systems, and rising adoption of High-Performance Computing (HPC). Liquid cooling systems offer superior energy efficiency, cutting energy use by up to 40% compared to air cooling. Major cloud providers and hyperscale data centres are driving demand for innovative solutions like cold plate cooling and immersion cooling, which address the challenges of high thermal loads and sustainability. North America leads the market with a significant share, supported by booming cloud computing and favorable regulatory policies. The growing need for efficient cooling solutions As data centres continue to expand in scale and capacity, the demand for efficient cooling mechanisms has grown exponentially. Traditional air-cooling systems, though widely used, are struggling to meet the energy efficiency and thermal management needs of modern high-performance computing (HPC) systems. Liquid cooling is emerging as a revolutionary solution to address these challenges. Liquid cooling systems utilise water or specialised cooling fluids to absorb and dissipate heat generated by servers and IT equipment. Unlike air cooling, liquid cooling has a significantly higher thermal transfer efficiency, making it ideal for densely packed data centres. Key components of these systems include cold plates, heat exchangers, and pumps that work in synergy to maintain optimal operating temperatures. Growth projections and industry trends The global data centre liquid cooling market is witnessing robust growth, with projections estimating a CAGR of over 20% between 2024 and 2032. This surge is driven by the increasing deployment of advanced IT infrastructure and rising energy costs. Furthermore, environmental concerns are pushing data centre operators to adopt greener, more energy-efficient cooling solutions, further boosting the adoption of liquid cooling. Liquid cooling offers several advantages over conventional air-cooling methods: - Enhanced energy efficiency: With the ability to directly cool components, liquid cooling reduces overall energy consumption. - Higher cooling capacity: It supports high-density server configurations, enabling better utilisation of physical space. - Reduced noise and maintenance: Liquid cooling systems operate quietly and require less frequent maintenance compared to air-cooling setups. Applications across industries Liquid cooling is not limited to a single sector; it is being rapidly adopted across industries such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology. These sectors require immense computational power, making efficient thermal management critical to their operations. Key challenges in liquid cooling implementation Despite its advantages, implementing liquid cooling comes with its own set of challenges: - Initial investment costs: The upfront cost of installing liquid cooling systems can be prohibitive for smaller enterprises. - Complexity in design and maintenance: Designing an efficient liquid cooling system requires expertise, and regular maintenance can be complex. - Risk of leakage: While rare, leakage of coolant fluids can pose a risk to critical IT equipment. Innovations driving adoption Innovations in liquid cooling technology are making these systems more accessible and reliable. For instance, immersion cooling - where servers are submerged in non-conductive cooling fluids - is gaining traction for its simplicity and effectiveness. Similarly, modular cooling systems are enabling scalability and easier integration into existing data centre architectures. Regional insights: where growth is happening The data centre liquid cooling market is experiencing significant growth across various regions: - North America: Leading the market due to its extensive data centre infrastructure and focus on green technologies. - Europe: Accelerating adoption driven by stringent energy efficiency regulations. - Asia-Pacific: Witnessing rapid growth due to the booming IT sector and increasing investments in data centre facilities. Future outlook: sustainability and beyond The future of data centre cooling lies in sustainable technologies. Liquid cooling systems are poised to play a pivotal role in achieving carbon-neutral data centres. Innovations like water-free cooling systems and closed-loop solutions are expected to further enhance the eco-friendliness of these systems. The path ahead for liquid cooling Data centre liquid cooling represents the next frontier in thermal management solutions. As technological advancements continue to reshape the IT landscape, liquid cooling systems will be essential in meeting the performance and sustainability demands of future data centres. Their adoption not only ensures energy efficiency but also aligns with global efforts toward environmental conservation.

Schneider Electric makes key data centre appointment

Schneider Electric has announced the appointment of Nirupa Chander as Senior Vice President, Secure Power & Data Centres, International Operations. In the role, Nirupa will lead a division of more than 700 professionals, supporting customers and partners in their digital transformation journeys and achieving their sustainability goals in an all-electric world across international zones, including MEA, EAP, Japan, India and South America. “Understanding the complex and nuanced interplay between energy and data will be key to navigating the future of our industry,” says Pankaj Sharma, Executive Vice President, Secure Power, Data Centres & Global Services, Schneider Electric. “Nirupa’s experience and insight in this area will be invaluable in the ongoing digitalisation of the energy sector and our increasingly digital world.” A veteran of the energy industry, Nirupa has extensive experience in energy grids, micro-grids, and automation, as well as project management, engineering, service and business development. Beginning her career with India’s largest industrial electrical company, Nirupa progressed from project engineering roles through project management, and country manager roles with major engineering firms (such as ABB and Hitachi Energy) in Singapore and Australia before joining Schneider Electric in 2022 as Vice President of Power Systems for the Middle East and Africa. Commenting on her appointment, Nirupa comments, “Early career experiences with controls and automation brought me into IT infrastructure, showing me how energy and data are increasingly intertwined. Working on microgrids highlighted the complexity of balancing the grid with energy storage technology and renewables - insights now applicable to creating sustainable data centres. “It is exciting to see the strong coupling between data and energy, and I am excited about applying my knowledge and skills to this evolving field, especially with the anticipated growth in artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on the industry.” Nirupa holds a degree in Engineering from Gujarat University in Electronics and is a certified project management professional. She is a graduate of leadership programmes from both the Wharton School and INSEAD Executive Education. For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Vertiv acquires centrifugal chiller technology

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity technologies, today announced the acquisition by its Chinese subsidiary of certain assets and technologies of BiXin Energy Technology (Suzhou) Co. (BSE), a manufacturer of chillers, heat pumps, heat recovery products and air-handling units. Focused on expanding the Vertiv chiller family, the acquisition strengthens Vertiv’s portfolio of critical technologies in support of high-performance compute and AI applications globally. Founded in 2010, BSE brings to Vertiv an established and field-proven presence in the China market and other Asian regions, along with industry patents, advanced technology and strong research and development capabilities that will reinforce Vertiv’s global offering. BSE’s core product offerings include oil-free, magnetic-bearing centrifugal water-cooled and air-cooled chillers incorporating pumped-refrigerant-economisation technology, with cooling capacities of up to 5.5 MW. BSE is an expert on centrifugal technology, which is designed to provide high efficiency, low maintenance, quiet operation and high reliability. “This acquisition supports our capital allocation strategy, which includes adding technologies that are early in the maturity curve to our portfolio,” says Giordano Albertazzi, Chief Executive Officer, Vertiv. “BSE’s solutions and technologies complement and reinforce Vertiv’s existing chiller portfolio and will assist us in addressing growing air and liquid cooling demand to support high-performance compute and AI. Vertiv has the most complete critical digital infrastructure portfolio, and BSE further strengthens our technology offerings that we can provide to customers globally.” Since early 2024, Vertiv has partnered with BSE to manufacture Vertiv-branded products for existing customers in China and throughout Asia. BSE is an Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) certified test facility, a China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association (CRAA) member and a China High and New-Technology Enterprise. Its products carry the AHRI-certified and CRAA-certified product labels. The combination of engineering, test and technology expertise in centrifugal chillers is complementary to Vertiv’s global chiller product portfolio. “We’ve enjoyed an outstanding partnership with Vertiv and look forward to becoming a part of the company,” adds York Zha, BSE’s CEO. “We’re excited to combine our portfolio with Vertiv’s to deliver a highly efficient and reliable offering of chiller and heat-recovery and reuse solutions for data centre customers globally.” For more from Vertiv, click here.

Duos partners with Texas city for data centre development

Duos Technologies Group, through its operating subsidiaries Duos Edge AI and Duos Energy Corp, has announced a partnership with the Pampa Energy Center. This collaboration aims to develop high-density data centre development parks powered by up to 500MW of natural gas self-generation, supplemented by up to 200MW of wind turbine generation and alternative fuel sources for redundancy. This 500+ acre project will transform Pampa Texas’s infrastructure, create jobs, and drive technological and economic growth. The move will also establish Pampa as an epicentre to address the national shortage of High-Density Data Centre (HDDC) capacity. Building on its expertise in deploying adaptive and scalable brick and mortar data centres, Duos Edge AI is streamlining project timelines, optimising operations, and delivering bespoke infrastructure solutions for Pampa to support four 50MW HDDCs. In partnership with Fortress Investment Group, Duos Energy will ensure reliable energy for the HDDCs by providing up to 500MW of natural gas self-generation, bolstered by wind turbine generation and alternative fuel sources for enhanced redundancy. The first 50MW HDDC is planned to be operational by the end of 2025. Duos says that this integrated approach will ensure sustainability and provide resilience to support Pampa's growing technological and economic needs. Doug Recker, President and Founder of Duos Edge AI, says, “The US faces a tough challenge in alleviating the current data centre demand shortfall, as well as building data centres with alternative energy sources. This collaboration helps to accomplish these challenges, as well as defining a new direction for the Texas panhandle and setting up Pampa to be a new technology leader in the High-Density Data Centre landscape. We’re excited to help set Pampa on an innovative path forward and create new jobs and economic development in the region through this collaboration.” Chuck Ferry, CEO of Duos, comments, “Duos Energy Corporation, partnered with Fortress Investment Group, recently signed a definitive agreement to manage 850MW of mobile gas turbines acquired from APR Energy. This strategic partnership with Pampa allows us to begin the deployment of these highly sought-after power generation assets starting in early 2025, and will provide a bridge to a long-term permanent power plant. We are honoured to contribute to Pampa’s economic growth and bright future.” David Dorman, Duos Energy’s Director of Commercial Operations, remarks, “We are looking forward to collaborating with the Pampa Energy Center to deliver mission-critical power to this High-Density Data Centre development. Duos Energy’s turn-key solution will provide rapid-dispatch bridging power, seamlessly transitioning to a permanent facility. We are honoured to contribute to the future economic growth and development of Pampa, Texas.” Glennette Goode, President of the Pampa Energy Center, adds, “The partnership with Duos Edge AI, Duos Energy, and the Pampa Energy Center allows for the transformation of Pampa into a dynamic hub of innovation, enhanced connectivity, and economic strength. Our board has long focused on the need to diversify our commercial and industrial base. Located in the central United States and within the heart of the wind energy sector, we are poised for significant economic growth. This partnership is the first step in a journey to long-term prosperity in Pampa, Texas.” For more from Duos, click here.

Data centre consumption set to double, Finning reports

Finning UK & Ireland, a dealer of Cat machines, engines, equipment, and power products, is urging data centre operators to accelerate the take-up of sustainable backup power solutions in response to projected surge in energy consumption for the sector. According to Deloitte, global data centre electricity consumption is expected to double to 1,065 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030 – equivalent to 4% of total global energy consumption – driven by power-intensive generative AI applications. The increasing strain on power grids – coupled with the rapid expansion of data centres – highlights the urgent need for reliable, sustainable backup power solutions. “The data centre industry faces unprecedented challenges as we approach 2025,” explains Graham Scandrett, Head of Electric Power Sales at Finning UK & Ireland. “The growth of AI and cloud computing is driving increases in power consumption. And although the sector is making strides towards sustainability, the demand for reliable backup power solutions remains paramount. This creates an urgent need to balance environmental responsibilities with operational resilience. “Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is emerging as a practical solution for data centre operators looking to reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining the reliability of traditional backup power systems. With whole-lifecycle carbon emissions approximately 70% lower than conventional diesel, HVO offers an immediate pathway to sustainability without compromising on performance or reliability.” Graham continues, “We’re seeing a growing interest from operators to use sustainable fuels during both the testing phase and in operation as an alternative to diesel to achieve incremental reductions in the total carbon intensity of fuels while maintaining optimal backup power performance. The flexibility of HVO as a drop-in replacement, combined with its stability and storage advantages over other alternative low-carbon fuels, positions it as one of several strategic choices for data centre operators. “As the data centre industry continues to expand, operators are increasingly focused on developing robust and sustainable backup power strategies. The next few years will be critical for the data centre industry as it balances rapid growth with environmental responsibilities. Forward-thinking operators are already exploring mixed-fuel strategies and investing in compatible generator systems to future-proof their operations. Success will depend on choosing the right partners and technologies to navigate this transition, particularly as we see the convergence of AI-driven demand growth and increasingly stringent environmental regulations.” Finning supports data centre operators with comprehensive power solutions that enable the transition to more sustainable backup power options while ensuring uninterrupted operations and system reliability. For more from Finning, click here.

Harrison Street and PowerHouse sell Virginia data centre

A joint venture between Harrison Street, an investment management firm focused on alternative real assets, and PowerHouse Data Centers, a real estate developer for next-generation hyperscale data centres, announced the sale of ABX-1, a 265,580-square foot powered shell data centre with 60 MW of power, located in Ashburn, Virginia. The sale marks the successful completion of the joint venture’s first development together. Launched in January 2022, the PowerHouse and Harrison Street joint venture partnership has committed $3.2 billion to develop powered shell data centres representing nearly 6 million square feet of data centre space in Northern Virginia, Dallas and Reno. ABX-1 was fully leased to global data centre company, CyrusOne, ahead of the data centre's final completion in October 2023. "This project reflects the strength of the Northern Virginia data centre market, which has been the nation's fastest-growing data centre market for the past five years,” says Michael Hochanadel, Managing Director and Head of Digital Assets for Harrison Street. “Since forming our joint venture with PowerHouse in 2021, we've successfully executed our strategy of developing flexible powered shell facilities in Northern Virginia that meet the exacting specifications of leading cloud providers and colocation users. We look forward to continuing this partnership and expanding our portfolio across Northern Virginia and other strategic US markets where robust digital infrastructure is in high demand.” The sale of ABX-1 is a notable milestone for PowerHouse’s joint venture with Harrison Street. “PowerHouse’s innovation and expertise, coupled with Harrison Street's valuable partnership, enables us to deliver high-quality data centre infrastructure with unbeatable speed to market," explains Doug Fleit, Co-Founder and CEO of PowerHouse Data Centers. "With several projects underway across the country and a growing pipeline of developments, we remain laser-focused on serving the growing demands of hyperscale providers and creating long-term value for our communities and the broader industry." Following the sale of ABX-1, PowerHouse and Harrison Street have three campus developments completed or underway in Northern Virginia, with an executed lease, pre-lease, or letter of intent for 100% of the buildable square feet. In addition to the Virginia portfolio, the joint venture recently purchased land and started construction on PowerHouse Reno (in Reno, Nevada), and PowerHouse Irving (in Dallas, Texas), to develop new state-of-the-art data centre campuses to address the needs of these rapidly growing, highly connected data centre markets. Since 2018, Harrison Street has committed over $5.4 billion to powered shells, carrier hotels, colocation sites, and dark fibre platforms. Over this time, the firm has expanded its relationships with dedicated operating partners and hyperscale users, raised discretionary capital for a dedicated digital vehicle andrealised on its first data centre investments. The sale of ABX-1 continues to demonstrate the growing investor demand across alternative real estate sectors. For more from PowerHouse, click here.