Data Centres

Huber+Suhner opens new POLATIS production site

Huber+Suhner has opened its new advanced manufacturing site in Pisary, Poland, dedicated to the large-scale production of POLATIS optical circuit switches (OCS) for AI and hyperscale data centres. Production capacity is planned to increase at least fivefold over the next two years. Reflecting the surge in demand for OCS solutions, increasing the speed of manufacturing of the POLATIS OCS portfolio seeks to ensure hyperscale operators have the technology required to enhance performance and energy efficiency of data centre architectures and AI compute clusters. “The opening of our new Pisary facility is a major milestone that aligns with our commitment to innovation and operational excellence in optical networking,” claims Jürgen Walter, Chief Operating Officer, Communication Segment at Huber+Suhner. “Our POLATIS OCS solutions deliver transparent, software-defined, dynamic optical connectivity within energy-efficient hyperscale data centres to meet the low loss and latency demands of high-performance AI workloads.” Rising demand for OCS solutions stems from the rapid growth of hyperscale data centre infrastructure across the globe, driven by cloud computing and the increased use of AI. AI workloads are hosted on clusters of thousands of graphical processor units (GPUs) interconnected by optical fibres carrying data at hundreds of gigabits per second. An OCS enables on-demand reconfiguration of optical-layer connectivity and can route large volumes of high-speed traffic with minimal latency. By maintaining data in the optical domain and eliminating the need for optical-electrical-optical conversions, POLATIS OCS solutions hope to reduce power consumption and operating expenditure for hyperscale data centres, enabling new data centre architectures and allowing AI workloads to run more efficiently and at lower cost. With approximately 3,000m², the Pisary site will add to the existing Krzeszowice facility nearby, which is currently being operated at its full capacity. “The Pisary site will enhance our supply of OCS solutions while reflecting our mission for sustainable operations,” says Robert Smith, Managing Director, POLATIS at Huber+Suhner. “The facilities include a photovoltaic installation with a capacity of 150 kilowatt peak (kWp), a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, and a biological waste treatment plant. A new building management system has also been implemented to support a low carbon footprint." For more from Huber+Suhner, click here.

Prysmian launches pre-terminated cable assemblies into UK

Prysmian, best known for its manufacture of power and data cable, used the Data Centre World exhibition in London to launch its wrap-around offer for digital communication within data centres. The product attracting the most attention was the company’s promise of bespoke, pre-terminated fibre assemblies, supplied to UK sites within days. This turnaround is reportedly down to the location and capacity of both cable and termination manufacturing sites in Europe. The offer is based on the G657 BendBright bend insensitive optical fibre, utilised in a variety of pre-terminated assemblies. Prysmian FlexRibbon fibre configuration provides Base 12 and Base 16 terminations onto MTP, SN, and MMC/MDC connectors. Pre-terminated assemblies using US Conec-certified MTP/MPO connectors are also available on short lead times. The Prysmian service team, based in the UK, says it is able to take specifications for bespoke cable assemblies using a range of single-mode and multi-mode optical fibres to service high bandwidth requirements. All products come with a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty. For more from Prysmian, click here.

ST Telemedia achieves 78% renewable energy usage

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), a data centre service provider headquartered in Singapore, today published its 2024 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report. The report details STT's progress towards its ESG targets, as well as its three main ESG pillars: carbon-neutral data centre operations by 2030; a safe, secure, diverse and inclusive workplace; and ethical and responsible business. With the growing demand for digital infrastructure, sustainability has become a critical priority for organisations worldwide. Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, says, “As the digital economy accelerates, our responsibility as infrastructure providers extends beyond simply supporting growth—we must lead with purpose and innovation. In 2024, STT GDC made remarkable progress on our sustainability journey, from securing S$500 million in sustainability-linked financing to implementing initiatives such as AI-driven cooling optimisation and pioneering the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil in Singapore. These achievements reflect our unwavering commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 while delivering the resilient, efficient infrastructure that powers our digital world. Sustainability is not just a corporate objective for us—it is the foundation upon which we are building the future of digital infrastructure.” Some highlights of the 2024 ESG report include: • Achieved 78.5% renewable energy usage. • Achieved a 22.9% year-on-year reduction in carbon emissions across the group. • Issued S$500 million of Sustainability- Linked Perpetual (SLP) securities. • Enhanced Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework — setting further targets, including increasing the use of renewable energy to 85% by 2028 and achieving a 70% reduction in carbon intensity from a 2021 baseline by 2028. • First data centre operator in Singapore to deploy HVO for backup generators. • First data centre operator in Asia to pilot AI-based autonomous control system for optimising data centre cooling in STT GDC’s facilities in Singapore. • Achieved a 66.2% reduction in carbon intensity from the 2021 baseline. • Improved power usage effectiveness (PUE) by 11.2% from the 2020 baseline. • Realised a 34.5% improvement in water usage effectiveness (WUE) from the 2020 baseline. • Achieved zero work-related serious injuries or fatalities since 2020, with a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 0.1 earned across more than 25 million hours worked in its construction and operations program. • Invested an average of 23.5 training hours per employee in the growth and development of its workforce. • In 2024, its team at STT GDC Indonesia partnered with a local conservation enabler to plant 1,000 mangrove trees at Dusun Tangkolak, Karawang, West Java. • 100% of employees have received anti-corruption training, with zero incidents of corruption. STT GDC's ESG Report is based on a full year’s data from 1 January to 31 December 2024, focusing primarily on STT GDC’s operating entities (data centres and offices) during the year. For more from ST Telemedia, click here.

Aruba boosts connectivity with new EXA Infrastructure PoP

Aruba - a provider in the data centre, cloud, and digital services sector - has announced the activation of a new Point of Presence (PoP) in partnership with EXA Infrastructure, one of Europe’s largest dedicated digital infrastructure platforms. The new PoP is located at Aruba’s Hyper Cloud Data Centre (IT4) in Rome, Italy. The announcement was made this week at NAM 2025 - the annual event organised by Namex, the main Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Central Italy. As a result of this new PoP, Aruba’s IT4 data centre campus in Rome is now directly integrated into EXA Infrastructure’s global network via two fibre optic links. This dual-route architecture aims to ensure maximum security, operational continuity, and resilience. The connections, capable of reaching speeds of up to 400Gbps, are designed to support advanced connectivity needs. Aruba's IT4 campus, located in the capital, covers an area of 74,000m². Once fully operational, the campus will be able to host up to five independent data centres. The site is designed to deliver a total IT capacity of 30MW, with redundancy levels of up to 2N or higher. The campus' first data centre, DC-A, is already operational and has obtained the ANSI/TIA-942-C Rating 4 Constructed Facility certification. The entire site is connected to the Aruba data centres in Arezzo (IT1 and IT2) and Bergamo (IT3) via a modern backbone network. EXA Infrastructure, headquartered in London, is an international operator that owns and manages over 155,000km of fibre network in 37 countries, including six transatlantic cables connecting Europe and North America. "The activation of EXA Infrastructure's new Point of Presence is a key step in building an increasingly connected, resilient, and high-performance digital ecosystem," comments Andrea Colangelo, Director of Network Infrastructure at Aruba. "This type of integration between data centre infrastructure and next-generation networks is essential for attracting international companies and enabling innovative services in the region, strengthening Rome's role as a technological hub in the Mediterranean." For more from Aruba, click here.

CyrusOne plans new London facility

CyrusOne, a global data centre developer and operator, has announced plans for a brand-new data centre facility on the outskirts of London, with sustainability, community, and biodiversity at its core. As the company's sixth location in the UK, LON6 is set to deliver 90 megawatts of IT capacity. Located in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, the LON6 data centre will deliver IT capacity to 30,000m² of technical space across four double-storey and two single-storey data halls. The development is expected to break ground in Q3 2026. With initial power due to arrive mid 2027, the first capacity is expected to be delivered in early 2028. “This development marks an important step in our European growth journey,” says Matt Pullen, EVP and Managing Director, Europe, CyrusOne. “We’re thrilled to be announcing our plans for this new facility and continuing our growth in London. As demand for digital services continues to accelerate, larger facilities are necessary to provide the economies of scale that customers need, while also ensuring maximum functionality and mitigated risk of downtime. The UK market enables us to respond to these requirements, and we look forward to continuing our expansion and supporting the Government to establish the UK as a centre of excellence in digital services for technology innovation.” Secretary of State for Science Peter Kyle comments, “This fantastic new facility will help to power many of our online tasks, from navigating with online maps, to messaging and shopping online and we are committed to growing this vital infrastructure and giving the UK the opportunity to thrive in the 21st century. “Through our AI Opportunities Action Plan, we promised to transform these digital powerhouses into platforms for progress, creating jobs and unlocking breakthroughs that will benefit people across the country. As a result of this new facility in Buckinghamshire, local people will benefit from the creation of 540 long-term new jobs, including roles in engineering, sustainability, and security, and over 30 apprenticeship opportunities for young people – turbocharging economic growth in the area and helping us deliver on our Plan for Change.” Set into the ground, with green roofs and planted walls, the facility is designed to be integrated into the landscape. It aims to deliver a 71% Biodiversity Net Gain for local habitats – seven times higher than the 10% required by government regulation – alongside other community benefits. The data centre is designed to achieve a BREEAM “Excellent” certification and will provide on-site photovoltaic panels to deliver 64% of the regulated office energy demand. Powered from Iver Grid Supply Point, the design uses 100% certified renewable electricity provided by SSEN. The project has the expressed aim to "restore and reconnect the landscape," seeking to improve the site’s biodiversity through the creation of an ecologically rich parkland and new habitats, "enhancing the quality" of the Colne Valley Regional Park. Extensive landscaping plans include the planting of 670 trees (including 145 fruit trees) over 7,000m² of woodland and 90,600m² of mixed meadow and acid grassland. 72,800m² of the newly-created green biodiverse space will be accessible to the public, with an edible landscape, a biodiverse lake, woodland walks, and a cycle path for the local community. CyrusOne has also committed to a long-term Landscape Ecological Management Plan which aims to ensure maintenance and continued public access to the space for a minimum of 25 years. A ‘hidden valley’ will provide an access road around the building, with landscaped terraces providing daylight, fresh air, and views from the exposed timber framed customer and employee offices. Rainwater collection is to be treated and reused within the site, alongside free air cooling from ambient air whenever possible, and half of the designated parking spaces will provide on-site charging hubs for electric cars. The proposal, the company says, is responsive to the needs of the local community and provides a range of benefits, encapsulated in a total investment of more than £1.2 billion into the local and national economy. The campus is set to include a stone gabion clad training centre with industry-specific facilities for employees and students sitting within the campus, yet outside of the secure perimeter for easy access. It is estimated that over 580 full time equivalent (FTE) construction jobs will be created over the development phase and a further 540 FTE skilled employees will be required by CyrusOne and its customers to maintain and run the facility once fully operational. “We’ve been working hand-in-hand with Apt, Atelier Ten, Cameo Landscape Architects, HDR, Ramboll, Cratus, Montagu Evans, and Radcliffes Environmental on the proposals and designs, alongside Longcross Land, who provided investment guidance,” continues Matt. “It’s been a fantastic experience collaborating with industry-leading firms aligned to our sustainability- and community-focused vision, and we look forward to seeing the plans come to life. Additionally, we’ve received support from HM Treasury, the UK Department of Business & Trade (DBT), Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), and the Office for Investment (OFI) which has been critical in progressing with the project and reaching this important milestone.” For more from CyrusOne, click here.

ABB and Applied Digital announce partnership

Applied Digital, a builder and operator of data centres, has launched an infrastructure partnership with ABB, a multinational corporation specialising in industrial automation and electrification products, at the company’s greenfield 400 MW campus in North Dakota, United States. The collaboration aims to innovate energy-efficient solutions to meet the needs of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. As part of this long-term partnership, the first orders were booked in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025. Further financial details of the partnership were not disclosed. Central to the partnership is a new medium voltage power architecture using ABB’s HiPerGuard Medium Voltage Static Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). The HiPerGuard technology seeks to help AI data centres increase power density while compressing electrical plant footprints and increasing energy efficiency. The partnership covers the complete design and development of the site’s electrical infrastructure. Conventional data centres use low voltage power distribution and UPS systems. Switching to medium voltage for the UPS system and power distribution should enable data centres to scale more efficiently, expanding in 25 MW blocks. With fewer parts and cabling, installation should be simpler and reliability higher. "What we are building with ABB is going to completely change the way our industry designs large-scale data centres. By leveraging ABB's cutting-edge technology and global reach, we are able to redefine the electrical infrastructure landscape and meet the growing demands to support large-scale AI Factories,” claims Todd Gale, Chief Development Officer, Applied Digital. Massimiliano Cifalitti, Smart Power President, ABB Electrification, comments, "Partnerships like this are accelerating the timeline for AI-ready data centres with more competitive, resilient power infrastructures. ABB’s technology is designed for peak performance with dedicated capacity across our global production network and industry-leading innovation. ABB teams are ready to deliver at scale and at speed.” For more from ABB, click here.

Trane expands liquid cooling portfolio

Trane, an American manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, has announced enhanced liquid cooling capabilities for its thermal management systems, intended to help data centres become more future-ready. These include new, scalable Coolant Distribution Units (CDU), from 2.5MW to 10MW. “We are a trusted innovator for mission-critical infrastructure, continuously co-innovating with our customers to design and develop the custom, integrated thermal management systems needed to support sustainable business growth,” claims Steve Obstein, Vice President and General Manager, Data Centers & High-Tech, Trane Technologies. “Through our scalable, modular approach to liquid cooling we can provide a platform for future sustainable capacity growth and thermal load requirements associated with rapidly escalating AI needs.” The scalable 2.5MW to 10MW platform adds to Trane's 1MW CDU, aiming to give data centres flexible, direct-to-chip cooling capacity to manage high-density computing environments. The company says it supports operations and uptime throughout the lifecycle of the data centre through its service and network of data-centre-qualified technicians, located in proximity to customers, and Smart Service options for monitoring, predictive maintenance, and energy management. Key features of the new products include: • Modular scalability — Supporting cooling capacities up to 10MW, adaptable to data centre sizes. • Direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology — Optimised for high-density data centres. • Compact footprint — Provides up to 10MW cooling capacity in a factory-skid-mounted design. • Service and support — Access to resources and data-centre-qualified technicians from Trane. For more from Trane, click here.

Black & White Engineering appoints country lead

Black & White Engineering, a data centre design consultancy, has appointed a new country lead to head up its growing Frankfurt operation and accelerate expansion in the German market. Timm Weis joins as Country Manager following more than a decade in MEP design for mission-critical infrastructure, bringing experience of delivering data centre projects across Germany for global clients. The Frankfurt base, which opened in late 2023, is expected to add between 30 and 50 engineers over the next three years. The office has already secured a position in the German market, supporting hyperscale and large-campus developments ranging from 30MW to 800MW of IT capacity. The team acts as a lead designer on projects, overseeing the full design process and coordination with local authorities. Timm comments, “Germany’s data centre market is developing rapidly and our role is to help clients stay ahead, whether that’s navigating local planning processes, improving energy performance, or delivering complex builds at scale. We’re building a team in Frankfurt with the technical expertise and local understanding needed to support that growth with precision and purpose. “My immediate focus is on attracting the right talent and ensuring Black & White continues to meet the high standards expected by clients in this market. We’ve already established strong foundations here and the potential for further growth, especially in taking on lead design roles and supporting the retrofit of legacy data centres, is huge.” The Frankfurt office’s remit also includes optimising legacy data centres to meet energy efficiency targets set out in Germany’s 2023 Energy Efficiency Act. With a high concentration of older sites in Frankfurt, this represents a significant area for retrofit and redesign work. Steven Horn, UK and Europe Director at Black & White Engineering, says, “Timm’s appointment marks the next step in scaling our operations and delivering the best of Black & White to clients in one of Europe’s most dynamic data centre markets. “Frankfurt sits at the heart of Germany’s digital infrastructure ecosystem and our growth here reflects both demand from clients and our strategy to be where the projects are, with the right people on the ground.” Black & White Engineering has a team of over 800 employees across the UK, EU, Asia, and the UAE, with 93% of the business dedicated to data centre design. For more from Black & White, click here.

Schneider Electric launches new data centre solutions

Schneider Electric, a player in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced new data centre solutions designed with the aim of meeting the demands of next-generation AI cluster architectures. Adding to its EcoStruxure Data Center Solutions portfolio, the company has introduced a Prefabricated Modular EcoStruxure Pod Data Center solution that consolidates infrastructure for liquid cooling, high-power busway, and high-density NetShelter Racks. In addition, the EcoStruxure Rack Solutions incorporate rack configurations and frameworks designed to accelerate High Performance Computing (HPC) and AI data centre deployments. “The sheer power and density required for AI clusters create bottlenecks that demand a new approach to data centre architecture,” says Himamshu Prasad, Senior Vice President of EcoStruxure IT, Transactional & Edge, and Energy Storage Center of Excellence at Schneider Electric. “Customers need integrated infrastructure solutions that not only handle extreme thermal loads and dynamic power profiles but also deploy rapidly, scale predictably, and operate efficiently and sustainably. Our innovative next-generation EcoStruxure solutions that support NVIDIA technology address these critical requirements head on.” Here is an overview of the new products:● Prefabricated Modular EcoStruxure Pod Data Center - Prefabricated, scalable pod architecture that seeks to enable operators to deploy high-density racks, supporting pods up to 1MW, at scale. ● EcoStruxure Rack Solutions - High-density rack systems which adapt to EIA, ORV3, and NVIDIA MGX modular design standards approved by certain IT chip and server manufacturers. According to the company, configurations accommodate an array of power and cooling distribution schemes and employ Motivair in-rack liquid cooling, as well as new rack and power distribution products including: o NetShelter SX Advanced Enclosureo NetShelter Rack PDU Advancedo NetShelter Open Architecture “Schneider Electric’s innovative solutions provide the reliable, scalable infrastructure our customers need to accelerate their AI initiatives,” claims Vladimir Troy, Vice President of Data Center Engineering, Operations, Enterprise Software, and Cloud Services at NVIDIA. “Together, we’re addressing the rapidly growing demands of AI factories — from kilowatt to megawatt-scale racks — and delivering future-proof solutions that maximise scalability, density, and efficiency.” For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

Connectors for data centres can improve energy efficiency

Energy costs can account for more than 50% of the total operating expenses of a data centre. To calculate the exact effect of power usage from connectors in data centres, HARTING has compared the power consumption of three different connector solutions in its independently accredited test laboratory. One of the connectors tested was the HARTING Han-Eco. The other two were CEE (IEC 60309) plugs from different manufacturers. The results showed that the Han-Eco connector reduced power wastage by up to 50% by using low-impedance contacts. These contacts reduce the power lost in connections and significantly improve the Power Usage Efficiency (PUE) of data centres. As a result, one hyperscale data centre with 15,000 racks could achieve annual power consumption savings of around £100,000. Download your free whitepaper now to learn how HARTING connectors can improve your power usage efficiency (PUE) and reduce the lifetime costs of operating a data centre. For more from HARTING, click here.