Innovations in Data Center Power and Cooling Solutions

GF partners with NTT Facilities on sustainable cooling

GF, a provider of piping systems for data centre cooling systems, has announced a collaboration with NTT Facilities in Japan to support the development of sustainable cooling technologies for data centres. The partnership involves GF supplying pre-insulated piping for the 'Products Engineering Hub for Data Center Cooling', a testbed and demonstration site operated by NTT Facilities. The hub opened in April 2025 and is designed to accelerate the move from traditional chiller-based systems to alternatives such as direct liquid cooling. Focus on energy-efficient cooling GF is providing its pre-insulated piping for the facility’s water loop. The system is designed to support efficient thermal management, reduce energy losses, and protect against corrosion. GF’s offering covers cooling infrastructure from the facility level through to rack-level systems. Wolfgang Dornfeld, President Business Unit APAC at GF, says, “Our partnership with NTT Facilities reflects our commitment to working side by side with customers to build smarter, more sustainable data centre infrastructure. "Cooling is a critical factor in AI-ready data centres, and our polymer-based systems ensure performance, reliability, and energy efficiency exactly where it matters most.” While the current project focuses on water transport within the facility, GF says it also offers a wider range of polymer-based systems for cooling networks. The company notes that these systems are designed to help improve uptime, increase reliability, and support sustainability targets. For more from GF, click here.

Daikin to showcase cooling at DCD London

Daikin, a Japanese manufacturer of air conditioning and refrigeration systems, will present its latest data centre cooling technologies at Data Centre Dynamics (DCD) London this September. The company’s team will share strategies to support energy efficiency, operational resilience, and sustainability in mission-critical environments. The event takes place at the Business Design Centre in London, where delegates will hear how Daikin’s systems are "designed to meet rising demand from artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and edge processing." Cooling systems for high-density environments Daikin will highlight its glycol-free chillers from the TZ D series, designed to provide enhanced heat transfer while avoiding the risks and maintenance associated with glycol-based systems. These air-cooled chillers operate from –20°C to +55°C, with options extending to –35°C for colder climates, and feature integrated free cooling to reduce energy use and emissions. For airside applications, Daikin says it offers: • Pro-C CRAH units delivering 30–200kW of cooling, with optimised airflow for high-density racks and aisle containment systems• Pro-W fan arrays providing up to 500kW of cooling, with modular configurations for scalable performance in large-scale data halls Intelligent control for energy efficiency The company will also demonstrate its Intelligent Data Center Manager (iDCM), a control platform capable of sequencing up to 20 chillers and pumps. By applying AI and machine learning, iDCM aims to build real-time performance profiles to balance load, extend equipment life, and cut energy use. Daikin says iDCM can achieve energy savings of up to 20% compared with conventional control, while supporting Tier III and Tier IV resilience requirements. The system is designed to improve Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), and total cost of ownership. Supporting net-zero targets Francesco Di Giovanni, Senior Consulting Engineer at Daikin, will host a technical lunch session at DCD London. Drawing on over 15 years of experience across EMEA, he will explore the role of thermal management in the AI era, presenting approaches to improve efficiency, manage system loads, and enable progress towards net zero. Daikin’s cooling systems use low-GWP refrigerants, reclaimed gases, and modular design to reduce embodied carbon and meet regulatory requirements such as F-Gas and MEES. The company’s vertically integrated supply chain and lifecycle service model aim to ensure long-term reliability in data centre environments. For more from Daikin, click here.

Castrol and Airsys partner on liquid cooling

Castrol, a British multinational lubricants company owned by BP, and Airsys, a provider of data centre cooling systems, have formed a partnership to advance liquid cooling technologies for data centres, aiming to meet the growing demands of next-generation computing and AI applications. The collaboration will see the companies integrate their technologies, co-develop new products, and promote greater industry awareness of liquid cooling. A recent milestone includes Castrol’s Immersion Cooling Fluid DC 20 being certified as fully compatible with Airsys’ LiquidRack systems. Addressing rising cooling demands in the AI era The partnership comes as traditional air-cooling methods struggle to keep pace with increasing power densities. Research from McKinsey indicates that average rack power density has more than doubled in two years to 17kW. Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT can consume over 80kW per rack, while Nvidia’s latest chips may require up to 120kW per rack. Castrol’s own research found that 74% of data centre professionals believe liquid cooling is now the only viable option to handle these requirements. Without effective cooling, systems face risks of overheating, failure, and equipment damage. Industry expertise and collaboration By combining Castrol’s 125 years of expertise in fluid formulation with Airsys’ 30 years of cooling system development, the companies aim to accelerate the adoption of liquid cooling. Airsys has also developed spray cooling technology designed to address the thermal bottleneck of AI whilst reducing reliance on mechanical cooling. "Liquid cooling is no longer just an emerging trend; it’s a strategic priority for the future of thermal management," says Matthew Thompson, Managing Director at Airsys United Kingdom. "At Airsys, we’ve built a legacy in air cooling over decades, supporting critical infrastructure with reliable, high-performance systems. This foundation has enabled us to evolve and lead in liquid cooling innovation. "Our collaboration with Castrol combines our engineering depth with their expertise in advanced thermal fluids, enabling us to deliver next-generation solutions that meet the demands of high-density, high-efficiency environments." Peter Huang, Global President, Data Centre and Thermal Management at Castrol, adds, "Castrol has been working closely with Airsys for two years, and we’re excited to continue working together as we look to accelerate the adoption of liquid cooling technology and to help the industry support the AI boom. "We have been co-engineering solutions with OEMs for decades, and the partnership with Airsys is another example of how Castrol leans into technical problems and supports its customers and partners in delivering optimal outcomes." For more from Castrol, click here.

AVK appoints new Chief Operating Officer

AVK, a UK provider of power systems and electrical infrastructure for data centres, has announced the appointment of Paul Hood as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). He brings extensive experience from senior roles in the data centre sector, including positions at Yondr Group, Pure Data Centres Group, Barclays, and JP Morgan. Paul was formerly Managing Director and then COO of Yondr Group, and Global Operations Director and MD (Africa region) at Pure Data Centres Group. His career also includes 13 years at JP Morgan, where he oversaw the company’s entire data centre infrastructure across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, managing an annual budget of $90 million (£67 million). Industry experience Paul’s background is rooted in systems and control engineering for building services, later expanding to building electrical systems management. He has also planned and administered multi-million-pound engineering budgets, conducted inspections in health, safety, and fire prevention, and co-founded the Universal Technical College network of STEM-focused schools. Ben Pritchard, CEO of AVK, comments, “I am genuinely excited about Paul joining our team. He has a superb engineering brain, he is a very logical thinker, and he has a real passion for working hard. Essentially, he believes in what he does. Paul doesn’t just bring vast global experience to AVK; he is a leader who has done it all.” Paul says, “I’ve known AVK for 30 years and I understand exactly where the company has come from and where it is going in this incredibly competitive industry. I am delighted to be working with some of the most committed infrastructure engineers in the world. I’m also known for investing in people, getting decisions done, and getting things over the line, and I’m truly excited about my forthcoming journey at AVK.” Future role at AVK Paul’s appointment comes as AVK pursues growth in integrated power infrastructure for data centres, including prime power, microgrids, standby, and modular energy systems. He is expected to play a key role in expanding service and maintenance operations, developing client relationships, and supporting long-term partnerships. For more from AVK, click here.

Powering data centres sustainably in an AI world

Data centres are getting bigger, denser, and more power-hungry than ever. Artificial intelligence's (AI) rapid emergence and growth only accelerates this process. However, AI could also be an enormously powerful tool to improve the energy efficiency of data centres, enabling them to operate far more sustainably than they do today. This creates a kind of AI energy infrastructure paradox, with Hitachi Energy posing the question: Is AI a friend or foe of data centres' sustainability? In its technical brief, the company explores: • The factors that are driving the rapid growth in data centre energy demand, • The steps taken to mitigate fast-growing power consumption trends, and • The role that AI could play in the future evolution of both data centre management and the clean energy transition. Register below to download the whitepaper now: [ninja_form id='4']

AI is reshaping the grid — is your data centre ready?

As Hitachi Energy explains, AI is driving explosive demand—and volatility—in data centre power needs. Today’s 'AI factories' require flexibility, speed, and sustainability. Traditional baseload planning won’t cut it. Digitalisation enables real-time load shifting, renewable alignment, and grid responsiveness. Energy availability is now the top constraint, making early collaboration with utilities and infrastructure partners essential. Capabilities like storage, on-site generation, and load shaping—once optional—are now critical. And no single player can solve this alone. Deep cross-sector collaboration is the key to building resilient, scalable systems. We’ve seen it work: when energy and IT teams align early, results are faster, cleaner, and more adaptable. AI is changing the grid and data centres must evolve. Flexibility isn’t an option for data centres: it’s the foundation. Read the full article to discover how to power data centres smarter, faster, and more sustainably. For more from Hitachi, click here.

'Decentralised energy key against DC construction bottlenecks'

Following warnings the UK risks missing out on significant investment in artificial intelligence (AI) facilities due to grid connection concerns, British temporary power and temperature control company Aggreko is encouraging operators to explore other options to best address ongoing bottlenecks. Digital Realty, a data centre developer, has called for overhauls of Britain’s energy grid and planning system to ensure reliable power supplies for new facilities. With AI-related tasks requiring higher workloads from data centres, owners and operators are under increasing pressure to maintain site efficiency, resilience, and uptime. With the number of data centres in the UK set to increase by almost a fifth, grid connection delays continuing as a concern, and the National Grid under increasing strain to facilitate ever-growing power demand, Aggreko is highlighting how decentralised energy provision could help project managers navigate these pressures. The company’s recent whitepaper, Bridging the Energy Gap for European Data Centres, explores how on-site power generation can play a key role in ensuring data centre construction and commissioning remains on track. “Our conversations with data centre owners and operators show Digital Realty’s concerns are echoed throughout the sector,” says Billy Durie, Global Sector Head for Data Centres at Aggreko. “As with a great many other places, AI is set to have a transformative impact on the data centre industry. But if it is to do so, reliable power sources are key. The lengthening queues for grid connections provide proof that these sources cannot be guaranteed via the grid. "While in the long run planning reforms will make it easier to deliver the necessary infrastructure needed to power facilities handling AI-heavy workloads, bridging power is required in the short- to medium-term. It is essential to ensuring UK data centre construction can continue to meet skyrocketing demand and not miss out on the huge levels of investment that come with AI technologies.” The challenge of procuring suitable equipment in tier one and tier two markets has proved a historical impediment for data centre owners and operators looking to invest in permanent decentralised energy solutions. But with projects running the risk of stalling amid the AI boom, Billy is encouraging relevant stakeholders to consult the supply chain and explore procurement strategies based around temporary equipment hire in the short-, medium-, and long-term. Aggreko, for example, has recently integrated Stage V HVO-fuelled generators and customisable SCADA controls at a critical UK facility, aiming to provide a robust standby power solution to ensure site resilience and reduce emissions, independent of grid connection status. “Data centre construction and commissioning must continue as unhindered as possible if facilities are to be brought online within strict project timescales,” Billy continues. “However, grid connection delays and a scarcity of decentralised energy solutions available for outright purchase means deadlines may be missed. “Yet power is power, whether it comes from the grid or a hired generator. It is therefore vital project stakeholders and facility operators investigate different strategies for procuring necessary energy supplies. "Leveraging third-party expertise within the supply chains can help these organisations access the expertise and capacity to swiftly deploy energy-efficient and scalable technologies on a hire basis so they can meet specific site needs.” For more from Aggreko, click here.

GoodWe introduces liquid-cooled energy storage system

GoodWe, an inverter manufacturer and smart energy system provider, has launched the ESA Series, an all-in-one, liquid-cooled energy storage system designed for commercial and industrial (C&I) applications. The unit provides 125kW nominal output power and 261kWh storage capacity, as well as integrating the power conversion system, battery cells, energy management system, and battery management system into a single cabinet. The system can be scaled by connecting up to 15 units in parallel, supporting a maximum total capacity of 3.91MWh in grid-connected scenarios. GoodWe says the design allows for simplified installation, operation, and maintenance whilst offering flexible expansion. Performance and safety features The ESA cabinet has a footprint of 1.47m² and an energy density of 177.6kWh per square metre, aimed at sites with limited space. It incorporates 314Ah lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells and liquid cooling technology to regulate temperatures across the system. The storage supports 6,000 cycles and operates in temperatures from -25°C to 55°C. The ESA 125kW/261kWh was tested under UL 9540A methodology and includes multiple safety measures, such as smoke detection, thermal sensors, combustible gas monitoring, and humidity control with automatic dehumidification. Fire protection uses both active and passive approaches, including integrated aerosol suppression modules. TÜV Rheinland has certified the system for environmental adaptability across climatic, mechanical, chemical, electromagnetic, and specialised scenarios. Deployment examples GoodWe reports that early projects in China have demonstrated reductions in energy costs and improved operational efficiency. At its Guangde manufacturing site, nine ESA cabinets were installed in parallel to provide large-scale storage. Another installation in De’an combined seven cabinets with wind and solar power to support an energy storage project for heavy-duty truck charging. The system supports operating modes including peak shaving, demand management, energy trading participation, and off-grid backup power. In on-grid deployments, ESA units can be combined with GoodWe GT Series inverters and managed by the SEC3000C Smart Energy Controller to support up to 40 string inverters.

Trane adds CRAH units to DC cooling portfolio

Trane, an American manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, has expanded its data centre thermal management range with the addition of a Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) system. The unit is designed to maintain airflow and temperature conditions for servers and other electronic equipment, aiming to support operational uptime while reducing energy use. The CRAH system is equipped with Trane’s Symbio controller, which provides a broad capacity range and customisable configurations. The controller enables leader designation and dynamic reassignment for up to 32 units, allowing continuous operation and access to digital tools for lifecycle management. According to Trane, the new airside system is intended for both colocation and hyperscale data centre operators seeking flexible integration into existing or new-build facilities. Steve Obstein, Vice President and General Manager, Data Centres, Trane Technologies, says, “Expansion of our airside offer gives our colo and hyperscale customers greater flexibility for configuring custom systems and addresses the growing trend toward a single-source solutions provider.” Integration and lifecycle support The CRAH addition is part of Trane’s wider approach to unifying and integrating thermal management systems through smart controls. The company offers local service teams across North America and remote monitoring capabilities for predictive maintenance and operational oversight. Recent updates to Trane’s thermal management portfolio include: • Scalable liquid cooling platforms• A fan coil wall platform• Larger capacity and higher ambient temperature air-cooled chillers The CRAH system has been developed to operate alongside these technologies as part of a consolidated data centre cooling strategy, with the aim of improving efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. For more from Trane, click here.

BSRIA first UKAS-accredited provider for BTS 4/2024

BSRIA, a consultancy and testing organisation, has become the first organisation to receive UKAS accreditation in accordance with BTS 4/2024 for airtightness testing of Raised Access Plenum Floors (RAPFs), following a successful ISO 17025 audit earlier in 2024. The accreditation formally extends BSRIA’s scope of approved activities and introduces an industry-recognised methodology for testing RAPFs, which play a key role in airflow management in data centres. Chris Knights, BSRIA Building Performance Evaluation Business Manager and lead author of BTS 4/2024, comments, “The UKAS accreditation ensures we continue to provide independent testing to the highest standards of quality, repeatability, and traceability. "This is a significant advancement, enabling the industry to adopt a dedicated standard that supports higher-performing building services for owners and operators.” BTS 4/2024 standard The accreditation follows the introduction of BTS 4/2024 Airtightness Testing of Raised Access Plenum Floors, which sets out a methodology for measuring RAPF air leakage. The standard is designed to support efficient airflow management by ensuring conditioned air in underfloor voids is directed to the intended occupied areas rather than escaping through cavities, risers, stairwells, or other adjacent spaces. RAPFs are widely used in modern construction, particularly in data centres, where optimised airflow is important for both cooling performance and energy efficiency. BTS 4/2024 supersedes previous guidance, BG 65/2016 Floor Plenum Airtightness – Guidance and Testing Methodology, and incorporates clearer guidance and refined testing processes developed in response to industry feedback. Chris continues, “An effectively constructed and sealed raised access plenum floor is essential for achieving the air distribution performance intended during the design phase. "The methodology in BTS 4/2024 provides clear criteria and a step-by-step process for verifying as-built performance. "With increasing demand for high-performing environments such as data centres, specifying BTS 4/2024 supports effective air distribution and helps ensure RAPFs deliver on design intent.”