Data Centres

Centiel to demonstrate AI workload-ready UPS at DCW

UPS manufacturer, Centiel, will showcase its multi-award winning, true modular UPS StratusPower at Data Centre World, taking place at ExCel London on 12-13 March. StratusPower is currently being utilised in data centres around the globe and, in particular, has been designed to deal with AI workloads and the fast-approaching power demand. Louis McGarry, Sales and Marketing Director, Centiel, explains, “AI is creating heavy demand for power protection. We are working on projects that require multi megawatts of power for data centres and AI data processing facilities that rely on power protection equipment that can be scaled-up and rapidly deployed. While efficiency and sustainability in UPS systems is now a given, customer choice now comes down to quality but also how big and how quickly can UPS systems be scaled and deployed. “Our factory in Switzerland produces around 1,000 UPS modules per month, and Centiel offers rapid delivery worldwide to protect the power for data centres and the growth in AI across the globe. Our UPS is scalable to fulfil the capabilities of any facility on day one, or grow as the data centre expands. “In addition, StratusPower offers “9 nines” (99.9999999%) availability to effectively eliminate system downtime; class leading 97.6% on-line efficiency to minimise running costs; true 'hot swap' modules to eliminate human error in operation; plus long-life components to improve sustainability.” StratusPower is also known for is dynamic load handling and reliable uptime for unpredictable, high-intensity AI demands. With its impressive overload capacity of up to 150% for 60 seconds, it offers unmatched performance. In relation to grid resilience, StratusPower absorbs voltage fluctuations with an extended input range, in addition to operating flawlessly under elevated temperature conditions. The three-phase true modular UPS StratusPower now covers a power range from 50 to 1,875kW in one cabinet and can be paralleled for 3,750kW of uninterrupted, clean power, which is ideal for data centres. Louis continues, “To discuss your data centre’s needs for a fully scalable, efficient, reliable UPS system, and to ensure your AI infrastructure is future-proofed, come and see us at Data Centre World. Our expert team of trusted advisors will be on hand to discuss power availability for AI facilities and how best to maximise uptime for critical power protection.” Centiel now protects critical loads for data centres and comms rooms in over 100 countries across five continents. The company will be located at booth DC232 at the upcoming Data Centre World event in London. For more from Centiel, click here.

Vertiv and Oxigen to develop new data centre

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced that it is collaborating with Oxigen, a provider of data hosting, processing and distribution services, to design and implement Oxigen's largest data centre. Vertiv’s power and thermal solutions deliver scalability and energy efficiency, and its services also provide comprehensive support, helping to position Oxigen as a benchmark for high-performance data centres in Spain. Oxigen’s second and largest data centre, situated in Sant Cugat del Vallès, boasts an impressive 6,000m² (64,583 feet) of space - including a 3,000m² (32,292 feet) operations clean room - and has the capacity for up to 800 racks with multiple power and customisation options. This scope allows Oxigen to quickly adapt to market needs, such as continuously evolving AI projects. While the current infrastructure occupies only a portion of the available space, the facility is ready for expected growth. The data centre is designed in line with Uptime Institute's Tier III criteria, which certifies that the facility meets high standards of availability and redundancy, enabling enhanced resilience and connectivity. Vertiv's technology - which is essential for the smooth and continuous operations of this data centre - includes: • A high-performance Vertiv Liebert AFC chiller, which provides precise temperature and flow of the cooling fluid.• Vertiv Liebert CRV row-based cooling equipment, which allows humidity and temperature adjustment and is located near the most demanding racks.• Vertiv Powerbar iMPB busbar systems, which allow power to be distributed to the equipment racks, significantly increasing flexibility and scalability for the future. Vertiv has also provided Vertiv Critical Insight, a vendor-agnostic software that allows authorised personnel to visualise everything happening in the data centre in real time, enabling continuous monitoring of any critical digital infrastructure and its deployments onsite or remotely. Critical Insight notifies the personnel monitoring the systems of the current conditions of the equipment, trends and analysis. It provides recommendations on personnel actions as the equipment reaches baseline thresholds. Any adjustments needed can then be completed by the appropriate engineers physically onsite or remotely if controls management can be done. This mix of adaptable technologies, along with energy consumed coming from 100% renewable resources, enables increased energy efficiency and cost savings. Benjamin Rovira, CEO of Oxigen, says, "We have been working with the Vertiv team for more than 20 years, during which they have always demonstrated exceptional professionalism and delivered state-of-the-art technology. Knowing both their products and their team well and having always achieved strong results, we trust their ability to adapt to our evolving requirements. They are an ideal partner.” The Oxigen data centre has 6MW of total power and up to 20 kW per rack to serve industries including the pharmaceutical, industrial, technological, education and public sectors. Oxigen customers expect their critical digital infrastructure to provide continuous uptime to support significant processing capability, consistent cooling and stored electricity - especially at peak hours. Jordi Gonzalez Sandalinas, Enterprise Account Manager at Vertiv, comments, "The collaboration with Oxigen is testament to the ability of our solutions to adapt and expand with the customer’s needs. Our focus on energy efficiency, coupled with flexibility and ongoing support, allows Oxigen to grow without compromising the quality or security of its services. "Over the years, we have built strong trust and demonstrated a deep knowledge of Oxigen’s needs, in addition to providing a broad and innovative portfolio of technologies. This is why the company has placed its full trust in Vertiv’s service team for the maintenance and management of the equipment." For more from Vertiv, click here.

MXT Holdings improves data centre connectivity in Mexico

MXT Holdings (MXT), a telecommunications infrastructure company in Mexico that develops and operates neutral-host communication infrastructure assets, is deploying Ciena's coherent routing innovations - and in the process, taking proactive measures to handle escalating traffic demands placed on its network driven by 5G, cloud-based applications, and the evolving digital landscape. MXT manages over 3,500km of long-haul and metropolitan fibre optic networks in Central and Southeast Mexico. Its network is deployed across key states, including Quintana Roo, Chiapas, and Tabasco. To improve connectivity for its customers and create a more adaptive network, MXT is utilising Ciena’s coherent routing across its metro and long-haul networks. This upgrade will allow MXT to connect key links between Mexico City and Monterrey, creating a network that is significantly more resilient, reliable, and scalable. MXT will also be able to offer up to 400G connectivity options for data centres, high-performance computing networks, enterprises, and service provider applications. Jorge Millones, COO, MXT, comments, “At MXT, we are committed to delivering connectivity that goes beyond our customers’ expectations. With Ciena’s coherent routing innovations, we are better able to support our customers’ digital experiences and offer more robust and reliable connectivity. Ciena’s technology allows us to optimise network performance by streamlining hardware components. This not only enables faster time to market, giving our customers a distinct advantage in today’s highly competitive environment, but also drives operational efficiency.” This transformative network upgrade will not only improve the overall customer experience, but also allow MXT’s network to boost infrastructure efficiency and create a network that can seamlessly adapt to meet evolving bandwidth demands. MXT’s network leverages Ciena’s coherent routing solution comprised of the 5164 Router and 8114 Coherent Aggregation Router with WaveLogic 5 Nano (WL5n) 400ZR pluggable transceivers running over Ciena’s Coherent ELS and 6500 open line systems. With Ciena’s coherent routing, MXT can deploy less hardware, saving capex and opex, while flexibly supporting a range of use cases, including data centre interconnect (DCI). The multi-layer network will be managed by Ciena’s Navigator Network Control Suite (NCS), providing ease of deployment and management. Additionally, with Ciena’s PinPoint OTDR, MXT can use advanced analytics and software tools to monitor and identify potential trouble spots and accelerate repair times.

Crestchic expands to meet demand from data centres

Crestchic Loadbanks, a load testing specialist, has reinforced its commitment to the growing data centre sector with the acquisition of the loadbanks rental division of Gulf Incon International. This strategic move strengthens Crestchic’s presence in the UAE and enables it to meet growing demand for loadbank testing in the region’s expanding data centre market. The acquisition comes as the UAE experiences rapid growth in data centre development, driven by digital transformation, cloud computing, the computational demands of AI, and increased investment from hyperscale providers. With data centres requiring rigorous power infrastructure testing to ensure uptime and resilience, the acquisition will allow Crestchic to meet demand with a larger fleet, including server emulators for heat load testing in server halls. Chris Caldwell, Managing Director at Crestchic Loadbanks, comments, “We’ve always been heavily involved in the data centre sector and have seen demand for power testing and heat load testing skyrocket in recent years. This acquisition is a significant step up in our ability to support the sector’s growing needs for timely and efficient solutions. Gulf Incon International has built a strong reputation for reliability and expertise in the Middle East. By integrating their loadbank assets and specialist team into our operations, we are even better positioned to serve the region’s increasing need for robust power reliability and heat load testing.” As part of the acquisition, Gulf Incon International’s loadbank assets and personnel will be relocated to Crestchic UAE’s headquarters in Jebel Ali. The expanded fleet and capabilities will ensure continuity of service and expert support for customers across the region, including an enhanced foothold in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over the past three years, Crestchic has significantly invested in its people, equipment, and infrastructure, doubling its global revenue and reinforcing its position as a market leader in load-testing solutions. Crestchic tells us that this latest acquisition underscores its commitment to delivering high-quality power testing solutions to businesses operating in mission-critical industries, particularly within the data centre sector. For more from Crestchic Loadbanks, click here.

LINX surpasses 700Gbps traffic peak in Manchester

The London Internet Exchange (LINX), a not-for-profit organisation working for the good of the Internet, has hit a new record maximum traffic peak of 725Gbps at its Manchester network fabric, highlighting the importance of regionalising network traffic. LINX Manchester has seen consistent growth in traffic, rising by an average of 100-200Gbps throughout 2024. Manchester prides itself on robust digital infrastructure with some of the fastest internet speeds in the UK, supported by extensive fibre-optic networks. Key initiatives such as the £23.8 million full-fibre investment have been pivotal to enhancing Manchester’s digital connectivity, enabling businesses to leverage data and technology to improve efficiency and services. To further enhance Manchester’s strong internet connectivity, LINX’s new location on its Manchester network went live in September 2024 at the Lunar Digital Data Centre, providing peering and further interconnection services to deliver improved performance, increased redundancy and lower network latency by keeping traffic local to the Manchester area. Colin Peckham, LINX Interconnection Specialist, comments, “Manchester is a thriving hub of business and technology, at the forefront of innovation and economic growth, so it’s vital that the area has fast, resilient network infrastructure. Working with our data centre partners in the area, we’re able to quickly deploy advanced peering and cross-connect services to strengthen connectivity in the region and best support the people and businesses driving forward growth. Keeping traffic local keeps latency low and bolsters network security to ensure that internet access remains strong and operational for longer.” Manchester acts as a landmark tech hub for the UK off the back of significant investment in infrastructure, technology and education. The area is home to MediaCityUK, where major organisations such as the BBC, ITV and Ericsson are based, and also nearby to innovation district, The Oxford Road Corridor. The city is also the recipient of major infrastructure funding under the Northern Powerhouse Initiative. Datum is another of the data centre partners on the LINX Manchester network, and its MCR2 data centre in South Manchester is due to go live by the end of Q1 2025. Seb Graham, Group Sales Director for Datum, comments, “We are thrilled to see Manchester continually growing its traffic year on year with LINX. Partnering with LINX has been a massive benefit and allows Datum to provide a diverse, carrier neutral offering to our growing client base from a very connectivity-rich data centre. The team at LINX have been brilliant to work with from day one and continue to develop a tight knit, supportive community. We look forward to working more closely with LINX delivering further solutions from our newly built MCR2 site. Manchester is very much open for business!” The city has ambitious plans to further its position as a leading tech hub, with the Manchester Digital Campus set to open in 2026, and the development of a new innovation district called ID Manchester, which aims to create 10,000 jobs and attract global tech firms. For more from LINX, click here.

Investment in data centre markets to reach new heights

CBRE, a commercial real estate service company, is expecting an unprecedented amount of new data centre supply to be delivered in Europe this year, as providers aim to keep pace with fierce demand. According to the latest research from the company, there is 937MW of new supply expected in European markets this year. If this data centre supply is delivered, it will reportedly set a new record for Europe and would represent an increase of 282MW more than the 655MW of capacity delivered in 2024. More than half (57%) of this capacity is expected to be delivered in the leading European data centre markets - Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin (the FLAPD region). In 2024, facilities of unprecedented size were delivered across Europe for the industry’s largest customers, but demand for colocation data centre space continued to outstrip supply, at 706MW and 655MW respectively. It is being reported that customer appetite for capacity has grown despite the difficulties data centre providers are having sourcing power and available land for new facilities. Nevertheless, CBRE believes that a greater proportion of supply will be delivered to Europe’s smaller secondary markets than ever before. The firm expects double-digit supply growth in five of the 10 secondary European markets tracked in 2025. There are seven markets, such as Milan and Madrid, which are expected to have 100MW of supply or more by year-end, compared to just four markets at the end of 2022. Kevin Restivo, Head of European Data Centre Research at CBRE, comments, "The data centre construction boom will continue unabated. Available power and appropriate land, government incentives, and hyperscaler ambitions are key factors that are driving the rapid growth of markets such as Milan, as well as the continued expansion of leading markets like London and Frankfurt." For more from CBRE, click here.

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.