Innovations in Data Center Power and Cooling Solutions

Extreme weather prompts revision of cooling strategies

Following warnings from scientists that current climate conditions are brewing extreme weather in the months ahead, Aggreko, a British temporary power generation and temperature control company, says it is calling upon data centre managers to revise their cooling strategies ahead of time or face the consequences. Global sea temperatures of 21°C were reported last month - the second highest on record for the month of April - with scientists now pointing to another El Niño warming cycle that could significantly intensify extreme weather. These temperatures are marginally lower the 21.04°C recorded in April 2024 ahead of the last El Niño weather event, which ended up being the fourth warmest year on record for the UK. With a long, hot summer potentially in store, Chris Smith, Head of Temperature Control at Aggreko, says he is urging the data centre sector to review its cooling infrastructure before the heatwave arrives. He suggests, “We need only look back at 2024 to see what El Niño might have in store for us this year. Summer temperatures regularly exceeded 30°C, placing immense pressure on data centre cooling infrastructure and even leading to full-blown equipment failure in worst-case scenarios. “The reality is: current cooling strategies simply aren’t designed to deal with this kind of weather or to operate in these temperature ranges. For this reason, now is the time to start reviewing current cooling infrastructure to assess whether it’s still fit for purpose so the right measures can be brought in ahead of time. “The main thing to look out for is ageing assets, as these are at the greatest risk of lower efficiency, overheating, and failure. Engaging with a specialist temperature control partner can help implement temporary cooling and industrial HVAC solutions to bridge gaps during equipment failures, manage seasonal demand peaks, and provide N+1 redundancy for greater operational resilience.” Data centre cooling under pressure With rack densities on the rise, data centre cooling infrastructure is arguably under greater pressure than ever before, with the cost of outages reportedly becoming more expensive. In the Uptime Institute’s 2026 outage analysis, cooling accounted for 14% of all impactful outages - the second biggest contributor behind power - while one fifth of respondents stated that their most recent outage cost more than $1 million (£745,000). In the face of this challenge, Aggreko believes hybridised packages consisting of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and temporary chillers or cold storage units are becoming an increasingly popular option for the data centre industry. Here, the company notes, the chiller or cold storage unit can provide scalable, supplementary cooling capacity, with the BESS powering the package while enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, minimising environmental impact, and offering near-silent operation versus a standard generator. Chris continues, “While we’ll have to wait and see what the summer has planned for us, now is nonetheless a prime time to re-evaluate cooling strategies and identify where efficiency gains can be made. "Procuring temporary cooling from a third-party specialist not only allows access to the latest, high-efficiency technology, but also opens the door to a number of creative solutions, such a hybridisation, which just aren’t feasible in-house. “While cooling is just one of the challenges that data centre managers have to contend with at the moment, the gains this can deliver, alongside the resilience it provides against the threat of outages, mean that this is more than a worthwhile operational solution.” For more from Aggreko, click here.

Russelectric expands microgrid controls offering

US power control manufacturer Russelectric, a Siemens business, has highlighted its Advanced Microgrid Controls platform, designed to support power resiliency and energy management across critical infrastructure environments including data centres. The system combines hardware and software for managing onsite generation assets and facility power infrastructure, including generators, battery storage systems, photovoltaic arrays, and electrical loads. According to Russelectric, the platform integrates with transfer switches, switchgear, and power controllers to support facility-wide monitoring and optimisation of distributed energy resources. The company says the system is designed to support operational continuity during grid outages through functions including dynamic islanding, automatic generator black start capability, and grid resynchronisation. Microgrid platform targets critical infrastructure Russelectric states that the platform is intended to help facilities improve power quality, reduce energy consumption, and lower operational emissions through more efficient management of onsite power assets. The company also offers engineering, commissioning, manufacturing, and maintenance support for microgrid deployments, alongside integrated switchgear and turnkey infrastructure options. Russelectric says it has more than 50 years of experience delivering microgrid control installations across critical infrastructure sectors. Siemens acquired Russelectric in 2011, with the business continuing to focus on power control and transfer systems for mission-critical facilities. For more from Siemens, click here.

Socomec expands North American manufacturing

Socomec, a manufacturer of low voltage power management systems, has opened two new manufacturing facilities in North America to support growing demand from the data centre sector. The new sites, located in Suwanee, Georgia, near Atlanta, and Brampton, Ontario, near Toronto, form part of the company’s strategy to expand regional production capacity for power infrastructure equipment. According to Socomec, the facilities will support the manufacture of UPS systems, static transfer switches, transformers, and power distribution units for data centre operators across North America. The company says the data centre sector is now its largest and fastest-growing market segment globally, driven by increasing AI-related infrastructure demand. New facilities target data centre growth The Suwanee site spans 194,000ft² (18,023m²) and will manufacture UPS systems and static transfer switches. Socomec expects the facility to reach full production capacity in early 2027 and employ around 300 staff. Meanwhile, the Brampton facility covers more than 150,000ft² (13,935m²) and will focus on transformers and power distribution units. The site currently employs 170 people. Socomec says local manufacturing will help improve lead times, support compliance with North American regulatory standards, and strengthen supply chain resilience for regional customers. The company also confirmed that a dedicated North American development team has been established to support customer requirements within the data centre market. Ivan Steyert, CEO of Socomec Group, says, “Manufacturing where we sell is a decisive advantage in the current geopolitical context. "Our two new sites will significantly increase Socomec’s ability to serve North American data centre operators, ensuring a consistent level of quality, reduced lead times, and improved industrial agility, while allowing us to remain close to our customers.” Michele Putignano, CEO of North America at Socomec, adds, “In a demanding and highly regulated North American market, our ambition is to build sustainable local expertise, offer ever more innovative solutions, and strengthen our position as the leader in power conversion for data centres and other critical infrastructures. “The region is now a strategic driver for Socomec, having seen annual growth rates of over 20% in five consecutive years.” Socomec currently employs around 750 people across the US and Canada. For more from Socomec, click here.

Airsys opens global HQ campus in South Carolina

Airsys, a provider of data centre cooling systems, has today opened a new global headquarters campus in Woodruff, South Carolina, USA, to expand manufacturing and engineering capacity for AI and data centre cooling technologies. The 60-acre (24.28-hectare) site will act as the company’s global hub for high-efficiency cooling systems supporting AI, edge computing, and digital infrastructure applications. According to Airsys, the development represents a $60 million (£44 million) investment and is expected to create 215 jobs in the region. Manufacturing operations at the site are scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2027. The company says the facility will support the production and development of air, liquid, and hybrid cooling technologies designed for high-density computing environments. Facility to support AI cooling demand Yunshui Chen, founder and CEO of Airsys, says, “Today marks a major milestone for Airsys as we establish our global headquarters here in Woodruff, South Carolina. “This investment reflects our commitment to advancing cooling innovation across the entire spectrum of mission-critical infrastructure.” The company states that the new campus has been designed to support growing demand for thermal management systems linked to AI infrastructure and large-scale data centre deployments. Airsys says the site will also support work related to Power Compute Effectiveness (PCE), a framework focused on maximising the proportion of data centre power available for IT workloads after cooling and electrical overheads are accounted for. The project team for the campus included Choate Construction as general contractor and LS3P as architect. According to the company, localising manufacturing and engineering operations in South Carolina is intended to improve supply chain resilience and support North American customers more directly. For more from Airsys, click here.

Delta opens Germany R&D centre for AI power systems

Delta Electronics, a Taiwanese manufacturer of power electronics, energy management, and smart green solutions, has opened a new research and development centre in Soest, Germany, expanding its engineering capabilities for AI data centre technologies across the EMEA region. The new facility will focus on high-efficiency power infrastructure for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) data centres, alongside electric vehicle (EV) power systems. According to Delta, the site includes 7,500m² of laboratory space and 2,500m² of office space, with capacity for up to 250 employees. The company says the centre will support development work related to 800V DC server power supplies and EV power systems, as demand for higher-density AI infrastructure increases. Facility targets LEED Gold certification Peter Ide, Managing Director of Delta Energy Systems, comments, “Soest has been a vital innovation engine for Delta in EMEA for decades, and this expansion reflects our commitment to strengthening localised R&D capabilities in Europe. “It enables closer collaboration with customers and faster development of advanced and sustainable solutions for data centre and automotive applications.” Delta currently employs around 450 staff at its Soest site, which acts as a regional hub for power and charging technologies. The company says the new building has been designed to meet LEED Gold certification standards and incorporates on-site renewable energy and energy storage systems. These include a photovoltaic installation with more than 1MW of installed capacity, battery energy storage rated at 2.5MW and 5MWh, heat pumps, and energy management systems. According to Delta, waste heat generated during product testing will also be reused to heat the building. The site additionally includes a DC fast charging station and more than 60 AC EV charging points for employees. Delta says the Soest operation continues to work with universities across Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark to support engineering recruitment and research collaboration. For more from Delta Electronics, click here.

Data Centre Energy Summit to focus on AI power demands

The Data Centre Energy Summit (DCES) 2026 will bring together representatives from the UK’s energy and digital infrastructure sectors to examine the growing energy demands associated with artificial intelligence and large-scale data centre development. Taking place at the Storey Club Paddington in London, the event will focus on how the energy sector can respond to increasing demand from hyperscale computing, cloud expansion, and AI infrastructure. Organisers say the summit will address issues including grid constraints, planning delays, water usage, energy strategy, and rising infrastructure costs, with discussions centred on practical approaches to delivering data centre capacity within energy-constrained environments. Sessions throughout the event will examine topics including onsite power generation, grid integration, engineering design, microgrids, and energy campus models. Financial and regulatory considerations, including ESG reporting and planning frameworks, will also form part of the programme. Industry leaders to discuss energy infrastructure challenges Confirmed participants include Paul Stein, CEO of Floral Energy; Katie Davies, Head of Energy & Infrastructure Policy at TechUK; and Jonathan Clark, Associate Director at Gleeds, alongside a broader cohort of industry figures involved in shaping the future of power and connectivity. Eric Lewis, Managing Director of Foresight Industries, says, “We have deliberately chosen to approach this summit from the perspective of the energy sector looking at data centres, rather than the other way around. "This perspective allows us to better understand how different parts of the energy sector can respond to one of the fastest-growing challenges in infrastructure today.” According to the organisers, the event is intended to encourage earlier collaboration between energy providers, infrastructure developers, policymakers, investors, and engineering teams as pressure on power networks continues to increase. The summit will also explore how cooling systems, heat reuse, and high-density computing requirements are shaping future infrastructure planning and investment decisions. To find out more about the summit, click here.

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

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

A-Gas participating as a Gold Sponsor at DCN

With the growing global demand for data, the need for efficient cooling solutions and environmentally friendly refrigerants is becoming increasingly critical. Meeting this rising demand sustainably is essential, which is where A-Gas, a company specialising in lifecycle refrigerant management (LRM), says it can play an important role, supporting the industry’s transition to lower-GWP alternatives. The company has announced that, for this reason, it will attend Data Center Nation (DCN) in Milan as a Gold Sponsor on 27 May, demonstrating how it can actively support industry players. Data Center Nation is an event dedicated to the data centre industry. The organisers say it serves as a hub where hyperscalers (such as AWS and Microsoft), investors, enterprise end users, and infrastructure suppliers can come together to discuss the future of digital infrastructure. At the event, A-Gas says it will feature a dedicated booth and contribute to the Tech Stage panel with a presentation titled 'Cooling in Transition: HFCs, Low-GWP Refrigerants & the Data Centre Challenge'. On 27 May, attendees can visit the company's stand to learn more about its offerings to support the transition to low-GWP alternatives and to discover its recovery, reclamation, and repurposing technologies. For more from A-Gas, click here.

AVK launches modular PowerPods for data centres

AVK, a provider of power systems and electrical infrastructure for data centres, has introduced a new modular power system, PowerPods, designed to support energy infrastructure for hyperscale data centres and AI deployments. The units integrate key electrical components - including uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), engines, switchgear, controls, enclosures, and transformers - into a single, pre-engineered system. Each unit is delivered ready for connection and deployment on site. The launch reflects growing demand for scalable power infrastructure, as data centre operators seek to deploy capacity more quickly while maintaining resilience and operational continuity. PowerPods have been developed using AVK’s experience in critical power systems, including standby and prime power, as well as control and service capabilities. Modular approach to data centre power deployment The company highlights that the systems are designed to simplify installation by combining multiple elements of the power chain into a single unit. This approach aims to reduce complexity during deployment and support more flexible expansion as demand increases. PowerPods can be configured to meet specific project requirements and are designed to support a range of technologies, allowing operators to adapt systems over time. The modular design also enables use across both new developments and existing sites requiring additional capacity. The units are available for immediate deployment, with a focus on reducing lead times for projects where rapid delivery is required. Ben Pritchard, CEO at AVK, says, “The launch of the AVK PowerPods reinforces our position as one of the few businesses capable of designing, delivering, and supporting the entire data centre power ecosystem - at scale, with true flexibility, and with the engineering depth that critical infrastructure demands. "Large data centres need partners who genuinely understand the full energy picture and we now own the full power train. “PowerPods complete our proposition to the market. They bring together our extensive critical power expertise with our technology-agnostic model to deliver a complete power train solution that makes us a reliable, long-term energy partner for data centre operators. "With our ready-to-deploy PowerPods model, we are perfectly positioned to support the next wave of hyperscale data centres and AI infrastructure.” For more from AVK, click here.

Daikin expands UK HVAC rental fleet

Daikin Rental Solutions, the dedicated temporary HVAC hire division of Daikin Applied UK, has expanded its UK rental fleet with additional cooling, heating, and air handling equipment, responding to growing demand for temporary HVAC systems. The investment reflects pressure on organisations to maintain operations while managing ageing infrastructure, higher temperatures, regulatory requirements, and the shift towards lower-carbon energy. The company has increased its range of high-capacity cooling systems, process cooling equipment, and heat pumps, alongside introducing UK-manufactured air handling units. Broader HVAC capability for UK industries Demand for temporary HVAC continues to rise across sectors such as data centres, healthcare, and manufacturing, where system downtime can have operational consequences. To support this, Daikin has added higher-capacity chiller units and an expanded range of heat pumps, offering scalable cooling and heating for larger or more complex environments. Additional dry air coolers have also been introduced to support process cooling requirements, including systems designed to improve energy performance under suitable conditions. The company has also expanded its airside equipment with a new range of air handling units manufactured in the UK. Produced at Daikin Applied UK’s facility in Cramlington, the units are designed for rental use, with a focus on ease of installation and suitability for environments such as cleanrooms and healthcare settings. Mike England, UK Rental Sales Manager at Daikin Applied UK, says, "In many of the sectors we support, downtime simply isn’t an option. Customers need solutions that are not only available quickly, but that perform reliably and integrate seamlessly into their existing systems." The company states that manufacturing air handling units within the UK is intended to improve equipment availability and reduce lead times, while maintaining consistent engineering standards across its rental fleet. Digital monitoring and control features are available on selected systems, supporting maintenance and operational oversight where required. For more from Daikin, click here.