Data Centres

heata and British Gas project to deal with DC waste heat

This month, a pioneering trial backed by British Gas will see heat generated from computing servers recycled to provide free hot water in homes, using ground-breaking technology developed by UK firm, heata. The trial marks a huge milestone for heata founders, Chris Jordan and Michael Paisley, who hope their technology could help tackle the fuel poverty crisis, as well as being one of the solutions to one of the biggest environmental challenges of today - dealing with the waste heat generated by data centres. heata’s technology, which was developed as part of an innovation project with British Gas, allows heat generated from intensive data processing (typically undertaken in a data centre) to be channelled directly into a hot water cylinder in the home; reducing bills for the homeowner, and avoiding the need for the energy intensive cooling needed in a typical data centre. What this looks like in reality is a small compute unit attached to the hot water cylinder. This is part of the heata network - a ‘virtual data centre’ - and can process data for cloud computing customers whilst providing free hot water for the homeowner. Each heata unit can provide up to 4kWh of hot water per day, saving households up to £340 per year. British Gas has this month launched a 10 unit trial running its own data processing workloads on the heata units in their employee’s homes, providing their employees with free hot water as a by-product of British Gas’s data processing. Chris Jordan, Co-Founder of heata, says, “Waste heat is a big problem for data centres, leading to significant energy costs for cooling. Yet heat is valuable. On the other side of the coin you have an energy crisis and people struggling to heat their homes. Our unique technology brings those two things together. We’ve created a distributed ‘virtual data centre’ where the servers are attached to domestic hot water cylinders, enabling the heat generated by the data processing to be reused to provide free hot water in the home. “British Gas launching this trial is a huge step and we would love to see other firms following their lead. By making a small change to where you process your data, businesses can have an impact on fuel poverty and the planet. Being able to say you have reduced your compute carbon footprint and provided free hot water to people during an energy crisis is hugely powerful for companies who take pride in their sustainability and social impact. Paul Lodwidge, Head of Energy Product & Propositions at British Gas, adds, “Innovative projects like this are another example of how the UK is becoming a leader in cutting carbon emissions. heata is a true pioneer in the way it has developed a solution that can reuse waste heat and deliver significant cost and carbon savings. We’re proud to be able to support them with this latest trial and will work together to share insights and learnings that will enable the business to scale-up its offering.”

AirTrunk expands with second AI-ready data centre in Johor

Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ) hyperscale data centre specialist, AirTrunk, has announced plans to develop its second cloud and AI-ready data centre in Johor, Malaysia. AirTrunk JHB2 will be located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor region. Scalable to over 270MW, JHB2 will support demand from global public cloud and technology companies in the region. The JHB2 announcement follows the opening of AirTrunk’s first data centre in Johor, 150+MW AirTrunk JHB1, in July 2024. Combined, AirTrunk is investing over RM 9.7 billion / A$3.5 billion in Malaysia, providing more than 420MW of IT load. JHB2, strategically located in a major availability zone, provides an end-to-end cross border connectivity strategy for customers and the ability to scale their operations to match demand. The additional capacity will support Malaysia’s fast-growing digital economy and follows the establishment of the landmark Johor-Singapore special economic zone (JS-SEZ). Like JHB1, the new data centre will feature AirTrunk’s state-of-the-art liquid cooling technology for managing the high-density demands of AI and will ensure significant energy savings. JHB2 is designed to meet the highest standards of efficiency and security, with a low design PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of 1.25 and multiple renewable energy options available to customers. To support Johor State Government’s aim to diversify water sources, AirTrunk is scoping treated greywater as a recycled sustainable water supply for its campuses’ operations. Aligned with the Malaysian Government’s focus on National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and increasing opportunities for highly skilled workers, AirTrunk is creating jobs for Malaysians, with above market rate remuneration for AirTrunk employees, 90% local employees and career development opportunities. AirTrunk is also contributing to digital literacy programs and funding STEM education scholarships at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to further support the local community over the long term. Advancing towards its net zero 2030 target, AirTrunk recently announced one of the largest onsite solar deployments for a data centre in Southeast Asia at JHB1, as well as the first renewable energy Virtual Power Purchase Agreement for a data centre for 30MW of renewable energy, under Malaysia’s Corporate Green Power Programme. AirTrunk is working with the leading Malaysian utility company, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to connect JHB2 through TNB’s Green Lane Pathway for Data Centres initiative, streamlining high-voltage electricity supply to an accelerated timeframe of 12 months. AirTrunk is also providing land for TNB to build a new substation, adding resilience to the electricity distribution system in the area. This continuing collaboration, which started from an MoU signed in 2023, opens the door for AirTrunk to explore green solutions with TNB in efforts to advance the energy transition in the region. AirTrunk Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Robin Khuda, says, “As Malaysia establishes itself as a digital powerhouse, it is a privilege for AirTrunk to contribute to this growth over the long term and deliver shared benefit for the people of Malaysia. AirTrunk’s data centres serve as essential infrastructure that will help boost productivity and enable new products and services that can drive economic growth. “We are committed to helping realise the potential of cloud and AI in Malaysia and prioritising circularity for the benefit of society and the environment. AirTrunk is supporting local digital literacy and STEM initiatives, driving the energy transition and working to embed a sustainable water supply to make a positive impact.”

DataVolt and NEOM to develop net zero AI campus in Oxagon

NEOM, the sustainable region taking shape in northwest Saudi Arabia, and DataVolt, a Saudi-based international developer, investor and operator of data centres, have signed a landmark agreement, marking a significant step toward realising the Kingdom’s vision for a sustainable, data-driven economy. The development will take a phased approach, with phase one expected to be operational by 2028. Aligning with Oxagon’s ambition, the 1.5GW factory will integrate a wide range of computing densities and energy-efficient architectures to address the global challenges posed by traditional data centres. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centres currently consume between 1-1.3% of global electricity demand. With the advancements of generative AI, power consumption is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade. The energy-intensive nature of data centres and the cumulative impact of associated carbon emissions necessitate a rapid need for transition to clean sustainable solutions. As part of the agreement, Oxagon will lease DataVolt the land for the development of the facility and provide the sustainable data centre operator with infrastructure support. The ambition is for the facility to be entirely powered by renewable energy, providing a fully integrated, end-to-end data centre solution. The project will utilise advanced cooling technologies and is designed to operate at net zero, addressing the global challenges of power availability and the carbon footprint posed by data centres. Commenting on the announcement, Vishal Wanchoo, CEO of Oxagon, says, “The Kingdom is at the forefront of the global energy transition. At Oxagon, we are accelerating a renewable energy industrial ecosystem that is set to power businesses with green energy and technology solutions. The agreement with DataVolt highlights the potential impact of the sustainable infrastructure Oxagon offers its tenants and sets the foundations for the first green-AI workload to come on-stream in KSA along with the necessary computing power for regional and global impact.” Rajit Nanda, CEO of DataVolt, adds, “This agreement with NEOM and Oxagon underscores our unwavering commitment to support the Kingdom's vision of becoming a regional digital and AI hub. The Kingdom’s strategic location, coupled with its abundant green energy resources, aligns perfectly with DataVolt’s mission in providing state-of-the-art sustainable data centres. This project marks a significant milestone in advancing the Kingdom’s leadership as a digital powerhouse in the region.”

Yondr breaks ground on third phase of London campus

Yondr Group, a global developer, owner and operator of hyperscale data centres, has broken ground on the third building of its London data centre campus in Slough. Once completed, the 40MW data centre will bring the total capacity of the London campus to just over 100MW, making it one of the largest in the UK. The ground-breaking brings the site of a derelict paint factory back into commercial use, and the event follows completion of the first 30MW building at the London campus in July last year. An additional 30MW data centre is currently in the construction phase on site. Yondr’s third building on the London campus has been designed to BREEAM ‘Very Good’ standards, to deliver both reliable data capacity and sustainability. The new facility will be energy efficient in line with the company’s sustainability strategy and 2030 target for Scope 1 and 2 carbon neutrality. Solar panels will be installed on the building’s roof and the facility will boast industry-leading power utilisation efficiency (PUE). Plans for the building were developed in close collaboration with Slough Borough Council and the Canal & River Trust, with the goal of realising a building that actively enhances biodiversity and improves the canal side, with a focus on aesthetics and active transport access for local residents.A green wall facing out towards the canal is one of the ways in which aesthetics and sustainability have been integrated into the project, as part of a strategy of blending the building with its surroundings. The green wall has been designed on an independent structure to overcome the technical requirements of the data centre and it will provide both visual and acoustic shielding, in addition to contributing to biodiversity. Yondr’s commitment to sustainability will extend beyond the border of the site for the new data centre, with the planting of trees and shrubs which have been specially selected to be sympathetic to local plant species and wildlife. A new walking and cycle route will contribute to the health and fitness of the local community and help to reduce vehicular traffic by creating a convenient cut-through. In a further step to create a positive impact in the local area, Yondr conducted a community-needs assessment which highlighted challenges children face in accessing outdoor learning opportunities. To help bridge this gap, Yondr has provided funding for six classes from local schools for a day of hands-on learning at the Iver Environment Centre – allowing the children to immerse themselves in biodiversity, conservation, and the importance of protecting the environment. Peter Hill, VP of Design & Construction EMEA at Yondr, comments, “The plans for this third building on our London campus show a clear evolution of our data centre design and delivery capabilities. It demonstrates just how far we have come in embracing sustainability to deliver our carbon neutrality goals and bring forward exemplar data centre developments. “Breaking ground on this project is a milestone not just for this building, but also for our London campus and our increasingly strong presence in Europe. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped progress this project through the design and planning stage, as well as those who have joined us to celebrate today, and I look forward to a smooth construction process and handover next year.” The facility is expected to be completed in mid-2026. For more from Yondr Group, click here.

atNorth awarded Iceland’s top ICT prize

atNorth, a Nordic colocation, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence service provider, has announced its recognition at one of Iceland’s most prestigious information technology events, UTmessan - along with other leading Icelandic data centre operators - for their role in facilitating the development of Iceland’s infrastructure. The Information Technology Award of The Icelandic Computer Society (Ský) is an honorary prize awarded to organisations for an outstanding contribution to information technology in Iceland. The accolade highlights the positive impact of data centres on Iceland’s digital, power and economic infrastructure. The award was presented by Iceland's President, Halla Tómasdóttir, at a ceremony on 7 February 2025 in Reykjavik. The data centre industry is thriving in Iceland, alongside its Nordic neighbours, due to its naturally cool climate and abundance of renewable energy that enables highly energy-efficient infrastructure cooling techniques. This demand for data centre capacity in Iceland facilitated the country’s investment in digital connectivity and the national power infrastructure to ensure long term sustainability of the supply. Iceland boasts multiple undersea fibre optic cables connecting the country to the UK, North America and mainland Scandinavia and has a robust domestic fibre optic network, with multiple providers offering high-speed internet connectivity - factors that have undoubtedly accelerated the growth of other businesses in the country. “We believe that data centres can be pivotal to a thriving economy and are committed to supporting the countries in which we operate”, says Erling Guðmundsson, COO, atNorth. “We are proud to be recognised alongside our peers as having contributed to putting Iceland on the map as a perfect location for data centres. By collaborating with local governments and like-minded organisations, we hope to create data centre ecosystems that operate with environmental responsibility, energy efficiency, and community integration.” atNorth has won many awards for its services, including the ‘Top Energy Efficient HPC Achievements’ award at the HPCwire Reader’s Choice Awards, and the ‘Digital Infrastructure Project of the Year’ prize at the Tech Capital Awards. The business also won the ‘Location Award’ for Iceland at the Tech Capital Awards in 2023 and has been included in TechRound’s Sustainability60 list that celebrates the most exciting sustainability companies across the UK and Europe. For more from atNorth, click here.

Schneider Electric reacts to Government's 'Plan for Change'

On 10 February 2025, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle, fired the 'starting gun' on data centres and AI - calling for UK local and regional authorities to put forward their plans to accelerate the development of AI Growth Zones as part of its 'Plan for Change', potentially attracting millions in private investment. Responding to the UK Government's press release - Government fires starting gun on AI Growth Zones to turbocharge Plan for Change - Mark Yeeles, Vice President, Secure Power Division, Schneider Electric UK & Ireland, reacts with the following comments: “The news from the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, is welcomed by Schneider Electric, and demonstrates continued progress for the UK’s AI and critical national infrastructure (CNI) ambitions. “As the government ramps up its Plan for Change, its continued engagement with the digital infrastructure ecosystem will not only be integral to accelerate sustainable, economic growth, but will play a key role in its mission to revitalise local communities by delivering much-anticipated new job opportunities, and identifying new measures reskill the workforce. “At Schneider Electric we’ve long-seen the significant potential that the North West of England, particularly Greater Manchester and Leeds, presents to develop AI Growth Zones (AIGZ) and to further supercharge the AI opportunity. However, we must also recognise that Scotland and Wales are well-placed to catalyse growth via the development of new large-scale infrastructure and renewable energy systems, both of which will be vital. “What’s clear is that as we move forward, solving the energy, sustainability and security challenges of artificial intelligence remains integral to deliver a greener future, powered by AI, and we look forward to working with both the government and the ecosystem to exceed these ambitions.” For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Vertiv to launch Liquid Cooling Services portfolio

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity products, has announced the launch of Vertiv Liquid Cooling Services. The company states that this offering provides customers with the tools to enhance system availability, improve efficiency, and navigate the evolving challenges of advanced liquid cooling systems with confidence. Vertiv has been delivering these services for more than a year to regional early adopters, refining best practices and gaining valuable insights that have now enabled the expansion of its liquid cooling service capabilities on a global scale. This experience brings a mature and proven approach, Vertiv tells us, providing data centre operators worldwide with expert support based on real-world application and success. AI workloads continue to reshape the data centre landscape, driving a significant increase in data centre rack densities, with 30 kW racks now becoming the standard and some reaching up to 120 kW or higher. Operators are facing increased heat loads and higher power densities, and thus the need for liquid cooling solutions to maintain operational continuity is in high demand. “The increasing reliance on liquid-cooled AI servers necessitates a comprehensive approach to lifecycle management,” says Sean Graham, Research Director of Cloud and Data Centre at IDC. “Given the complexities inherent in these cooling ecosystems, a robust support programme is not merely advisable, but a best practice to ensure both system availability and long-term operational viability.” Vertiv's Liquid Cooling Services offering is focused on providing seamless integration of liquid cooling systems with IT equipment and adjacent infrastructure. It includes expert installation and commissioning, ongoing maintenance with special attention to fluid management, cleanliness, and preventing air from entering the system - which is key for system reliability Vertiv believes that traditional maintenance practices aren't enough for the complexities of liquid cooling systems supporting critical AI applications. This offering leverages the company's industry experience and provides best-practices delivery of preventive and condition-based maintenance to provide reliable and efficient system performance and to maximise availability. Vertiv Liquid Cooling Services includes a full range of solutions designed to support AI-driven and high-performance computing environments, providing seamless integration, long-term reliability, and operational continuity. Vertiv’s certified technicians and field engineers provide expert support at every stage, confirming that heat rejection systems and cooling loop fluid systems function optimally: • Startup & Commissioning Services – Proactively identify and address potential issues that could result from improper installation, preventing delays and enabling a smooth and efficient system launch while verifying quality of all of the connected equipment.• Spare Parts Availability – Quick access to replacement components, supporting faster repairs when needed, and reducing potential downtime.• End-to-End Lifecycle Support – Digital, proactive system maintenance is at the core of this offering, allowing long-term reliability and optimised cooling performance. Documentation of all processes supporting the secondary fluid network provides a health history for the equipment to inform ongoing support.• Comprehensive Fluid Management Services – Maintaining optimal coolant quality is essential for reliable system performance. Vertiv’s services include coolant sampling, laboratory testing, contamination prevention, and environmentally responsible disposal to maximise system longevity and efficiency while enhancing system resilience of the secondary fluid network and technology cooling system.• Emergency and preventive support: Emergency response teams provide rapid, on-site and remote support to diagnose and resolve issues, minimising downtime and restoring operations quickly. “High-performance computing (HPC) and AI are critical to business innovation and competitive advantage, making reliability and efficiency in supporting critical digital infrastructure more important than ever," says Ryan Jarvis, Vice President Global Services Business at Vertiv. "As organisations continue to invest in AI-driven systems, they need robust liquid cooling solutions to protect their investment and to enable long-term performance." Vertiv Liquid Cooling Services leverages the Vertiv Global Services network, which provides project services, product support, testing and training for Vertiv’s portfolio of products. Backed by over 240 service centres, more than 3,500 field engineers, and 190-plus technical response specialists, Vertiv provides expert support across multiple regions. The new Liquid Cooling Services offering is now globally available. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Energy Transfer to provide gas to CloudBurst data centre

Energy Transfer has announced that it has entered into a long-term agreement with Denver-based CloudBurst Data Centers to provide natural gas to CloudBurst’s flagship AI-focused data centre development in Central Texas. The agreement calls for Energy Transfer’s Oasis Pipeline, LP to provide up to 450,000 MMBtu per day of firm natural gas supply to CloudBurst’s next-generation data centre campus outside of San Marcos, Texas, subject to CloudBurst reaching a final investment decision (FID) with its customer. The natural gas supply would be sufficient to generate up to approximately 1.2 gigawatts of direct, or 'behind the meter' electric power for a period of at least 10 years starting with Phase 1 of the data centre facilities. CloudBurst expects to reach FID later this year and in such event, the facility would be operational in Q3 of 2026. This represents Energy Transfer’s first commercial arrangement to supply natural gas directly to a data centre. Energy Transfer says that it is uniquely positioned to provide reliable natural gas supply that is crucial to the data centre operations under development, many of which are in close proximity to its vast network of more than 105,000 miles of natural gas gathering, and intrastate and interstate transportation pipelines and storage facilities with a combined storage capacity of nearly 236 billion cubic feet. Additionally, Energy Transfer is in discussions with a number of data centre developers and expects this to be the first of many agreements to supply, store and transport natural gas to fuel data centres, electric generation facilities and other power demand customers throughout its nationwide footprint. Cynthia Thompson Executive Chair, CloudBurst Data Centers, comments, “We are very excited about our close relationship with Energy Transfer and feel extremely confident in its ability to provide redundancy through its vast pipeline network and storage capacity. In addition, we will work closely with Energy Transfer to identify additional potential data centre sites, on or close to their strategic natural gas pipeline network, using our proprietary site selection software.”

Manchester data centre appoints connectivity partner

Network services provider, Principle Networks, has been appointed by Datum Datacentres to deliver a high-speed IP transit network for Datum’s new data centre in Manchester. The new IP transit network will enable Datum to deliver high-performance internet connectivity to its clients, and is designed to scale in a manner which ensures end users can increase their consumption of internet-based services, without concerns over connectivity limitations. Through the utilisation of Cisco’s best-in-class service provider internet edge routers to host full internet routing tables, the new network will deliver direct access to the internet backbone, ensuring that Datum has greater control over routing policies, and that it can optimise traffic profiles and maximise network availability and reliability. Datum’s new Manchester data centre facility, MCR2, is currently under construction and is due to go live in spring 2025. It will offer 24,000 square foot of technical space within the 50,000 square foot building. Matt Edgley, COO at Datum Datacentres, comments, “After Principle Networks successfully delivered a similar project at our Farnborough data centre facility, we decided to appoint them as a preferred partner for our new Manchester facility. This complex and critical project required a team that we could trust. The highly resilient IPT provision that Principle Networks is deploying will allow us to offer our clients high performance enterprise grade connectivity with low latency and consistent performance to support digital transformation journeys. “We work with best-of-breed suppliers to provide resilient links across the UK and beyond and are pleased to be continuing our relationship with Principle Networks as a premium connectivity partner.” As specialists in designing and implementing complex data centre networks and scalable, agile cloud-based networks for mid-large enterprises, Principle Networks works across all sectors, including legal, retail, logistics, social housing, automotive, financial services, IT and local government. Russell Crowley, co-founder at Principle Networks, adds, “We are proud to have been chosen to partner with Datum to deliver the IPT network for MCR2. The development of this new data centre is great news for Manchester and will offer businesses the opportunity to host their infrastructure in one of the most well connected, resilient and cutting-edge facilities in the region. We’re excited to be a part of it and are looking forward to the new data centre coming online in the very near future.” For more from Datum Datacentres, click here.

JLL continues data centre recruitment drive with key hire

JLL has announced that Craig Adamoli has joined the company as Senior Director of Data Centre Transactions in its EMEA data centre practice, working with existing clients in a growth role. Craig brings with him 27 years of combined experience within the data centre sector and wider commercial real estate industry, where he is tasked with helping drive growth across JLL’s major hyperscale and growth accounts within EMEA. Based in London, Craig reports to Tom Glover, Head of Data Centre Transactions, EMEA. Tom comments, “We are excited to welcome Craig to the business. He’s held numerous leadership, client management and project roles throughout an impressive career. Craig joins a target driven, revenue orientated, transaction-based team that will benefit from his vast experience. His deep domain background within corporate real estate, paired with the benefit of having worked for a major data centre operator, brings important skill sets to the team and will help with our ambitious growth plans in the region.” Craig recently spent over a decade in various transactional positions at commercial real estate firm, Newmark. Prior to those roles, he worked within Occupier Services at CRBE, before joining Global Switch to run the data centre operator’s London campus. Adamoli’s background also includes time spent heading up mobile communications giant Nokia’s Transaction EMEA Management Team. Craig joins during a time of record demand in the data centre industry. JLL Research recently published a report revealing the sector will grow at a phenomenal pace in 2025. Across the hyperscale and colocation segments, an estimated 10 GW is projected to break ground globally in 2025, while 7 GW will likely reach completion. Based on this current pace of under construction and planned developments, the global data centre market will likely expand at a baseline 15% CAGR through 2027 – with the potential to reach 20%. “I wanted to join a team that was mature, but also had a great growth trajectory and I’m delighted to have found that here at JLL,” Craig states. “With all of the ongoing technological advancements in the sector, this is a burgeoning young industry with huge potential that requires best in class operators. I’m excited to be working within a team that has exceptional subject matter expertise to deliver exceptional value for our clients.” For more from JLL, click here.