News

Arelion connects EcoDataCenter to Nordic AI superhighway

Arelion, a Swedish telecommunications company formerly known as Telia Carrier, today announced it is upgrading its existing Point-of-Presence (PoP) at Swedish sustainable data centre operator EcoDataCenter’s Falun, Sweden, data centre campus with the latest-generation open optical line systems. Arelion’s network enhancement enables connectivity to its AI superhighway in the Nordics, leveraging scalable 400G and 800G coherent optics. This upgrade continues Arelion’s investment in its Scandinavian network by enhancing capacity and diversity to support its wholesale and enterprise customers’ AI deployments. EcoDataCenter builds data centres designed for demanding AI workloads and is used by global AI companies such as DeepL and CoreWeave. The company is also currently experiencing growth across the region. “Arelion’s investment is crucial in bolstering Scandinavia’s latest wave of technological innovation amid the region’s AI market growth,” argues Peter Michelson, CEO of EcoDataCenter. “By providing high-capacity connectivity to sustainable data centre infrastructure, we will collaborate to empower customers with Tier-1 services that support the AI ecosystem, enabling digital transformation across vital industries.” Sweden’s AI sector is experiencing growing investment, with analysts projecting the market will reach $6.35 billion by 2031, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26.24%. The country’s data centre market is also growing to support these applications through digital infrastructure, with experts estimating it will reach $2.73 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 10.39%. This growth is most likely driven by the higher availability of sustainable power in Sweden, with the country’s existing data centre capacity totalling over 130 MW, which is critical for supporting energy-demanding AI workloads. Arelion is offering its enhanced capabilities with delivery starting early Q3 2025. “This strategic deployment continues our Scandinavian network investments, allowing us to provide the vital backbone connectivity needed to support AI and cloud applications in the region’s booming technology markets,” comments Patrik Andreasson, Head of Sales Nordic & CEE at Arelion. “Our partnership combines high-capacity services with energy-efficient infrastructure, accelerating our customers’ AI deployments to spur further innovation across the Nordics.” For more from EcoDataCenter, click here.

Colt DCS achieves 90% renewable energy procurement

Colt Data Centre Services (Colt DCS), a data centre operator that designs, builds, and operates data centres for global hyperscalers and large enterprises, has published its third sustainability report, highlighting the company's performance over 2024. Last year, Colt DCS achieved 90% renewable energy procurement across its global estate, representing an 8% increase from the previous year. The data centre provider also reduced its absolute greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1, 2, and 3, market-based) by 32% compared to the 2019 base year, while continuing to expand its global footprint by adding new operational sites in Osaka Keihanna, Japan, and Mumbai, India. Today, the company operates 13 data centres across Europe and APAC, with an additional 19 facilities in development. 2024 marked the launch of a joint venture for Colt DCS with RMZ Infrastructure in India, increasing the data centre provider’s growth and capacity in high-demand markets. Individually, Scope 2 (market-based) emissions were reduced to zero through 100% renewable electricity procurement. While Scope 3 emissions, which represent 98% of the company’s total footprint in 2024, fell by 26% compared to the base year. In addition, Colt DCS under Colt Group maintained a Platinum score in its EcoVadis 2024 submission, marking the third consecutive year the data centre provider has ranked in the top 1% of organisations assessed for their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. In 2024, the company was awarded the 'Best Colocation Provider Sustainability Innovation of the Year' at the Data Center Solutions (DCS) Awards. Further sustainability achievements in 2024 include:• 95% of waste diverted from landfill at London North (UK).• 91% of suppliers by emissions have science-based climate targets in place.• Striving to design all new facilities with renewable electricity supply, high energy efficient cooling systems, and - where local infrastructure allows - waste heat recovery.The data centre provider’s long-term climate goal is to achieve a 90% absolute reduction in Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions from 2019 levels by 2045. Key enablers include maintaining 100% renewable electricity, deploying scalable and sustainable data centres, and minimising embodied carbon in new developments. • The company launched the DCS Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and introduced the AI-powered “MyLearningHub” to support continuous learning and professional development.• 87% of employees recommend Colt DCS as a great place to work (up from 83% in 2023). • With increasing threats faced by critical infrastructure, the data centre provider has prioritised security, achieving ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications.• Colt DCS introduced a dedicated Risk Policy & Procedure, identifying and assessing sustainability risk using its Climate Change Risk Register, country-specific or function-specific risk registers, and the ESG risk register.• In 2024, the company also developed bottom-up risk registers across support functions and operations. “For Colt DCS, 2024 was a year of significant growth. When we started our hyperscale journey nine years ago, the cloud market was $111 billion. Today, it is over $760 billion and is projected to grow even further due to the rising demand in streaming, cloud, and artificial intelligence tools and services,” comments Niclas Sanfridsson, CEO of Colt DCS. “I’m especially proud that we were able to help our customers scale and accelerate during this time of transformation by staying true to our core values: trust, respect, unite, sustain, and trailblaze”. The data centre provider says it remains committed to its net zero by 2045 ambition, with a focus on innovation, collaboration, and responsible growth. The company will continue to update its Global Reference Design and sustainability roadmap in line with best practices and regulatory requirements. For more from Colt DCS, click here.

New CEO of R&M announced

A new era of leadership is beginning at R&M, a globally active Swiss developer and provider of infrastructure solutions for data and communications networks. The family-owned company has appointed Roger Baumann (58) as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Michel Riva, CEO of R&M since 2012, has decided to scale back his professional activities and focus on consulting and advisory board mandates. The handover took place on 23 June 2025, following a short transitional phase. "Over the past 13 years, Michel Riva has developed our company in a foresighted, goal-orientated manner with great personal commitment. Under his aegis, R&M established itself on the ICT market as an internationally recognised provider of network infrastructures," says Martin Reichle on behalf of the owner family. Under the responsibility of Michel Riva, R&M’s sales increased by 60% in 2022 to CHF 298 million (£271.75 million). The number of employees has almost tripled. The Group’s largest markets are Switzerland, Germany, Eastern, Southern and Western Europe, the Middle East, and India. "Under the leadership of Michel Riva, R&M has further established itself as a global player in the ICT market. Stakeholders were impressed by his focus on internationalisation, segment, and growth strategy, as well as overall solutions," says Chairman of the Board of Directors Thomas A. Ernst. "Together with the management team, Michel Riva has developed R&M from a component manufacturer to a provider of integrated solutions for public networks, data centres, and local area networks." "Being CEO of R&M was the best job of my career," comments Michel Riva as he bids farewell. Roger Baumann has decades of international management, technology, and sales experience in the manufacturing industry. He began his career in 1998 at Siemens, where he worked, among other things, as Head of Global Business Segments and as Managing Director of the market organisation in Taiwan. From this position, he is familiar with the infrastructure solutions for building automation, such as those offered by R&M in the LAN division. Since 2009, Roger has been CEO and Managing Director of three medium-sized, globally active technology companies. Most recently, he led Büchi Labortechnik in Flawil. He studied electrical engineering at ETH Zurich and completed his doctorate in microtechnology at EPFL Lausanne. He also completed the Executive MBA program as well as the Board Program at the University of St Gallen. "I am impressed by the high level of expertise, the perceptible passion, and the global team spirit of the R&M team," says Roger, describing his impression after his first few weeks at the company. For more from R&M, click here.

LINX and ISOC Ghana announce partnership

The London Internet Exchange (LINX), an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) operator of digital infrastructure across the UK, Africa, and the United States, has stepped into a new community partnership with the Internet Society (ISOC) Ghana Chapter, marking a milestone in the development of Ghana’s digital infrastructure. This collaboration coincides with the launch of LINX Accra, a new interconnection hub designed to enhance internet performance, connectivity, and resilience across West Africa. The partnership aims to build on the existing internet community in Ghana through a series of joint initiatives, including community engagement events, technical training programs, and knowledge-sharing activities. These efforts are geared towards empowering local stakeholders to come together and advance the region’s internet ecosystem. LINX claims the new hub is expected to provide a platform for local and international networks to interconnect, improving latency, reducing costs, and boosting overall internet quality in the region. Nurani Nimpuno, Head of Global Engagement for LINX, comments, “We are excited to work alongside the Internet Society Ghana Chapter to support capacity building in Ghana. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to building a more robust and accessible internet for all.” ISOC Ghana is a chartered Chapter of the Internet Society, which is a non-profit organisation founded in 1992 to provide leadership in internet-related standards, education, and policy. It says it is dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the internet for the benefit of the people in Ghana and throughout the world. Maud Adjeley Ashont Elliot, President of the ISOC Ghana Chapter, states, “This partnership with LINX is a timely and welcome development as it brings renewed energy to our mission and opens up new avenues for collaboration, learning, and impact. We welcome the arrival of LINX into Ghana and look forward to a long-term partnership for the good of the local internet.” The Ghana Network Operators’ Group (GhNOG) Workshop, organised by the ISOC Ghana Chapter, is a technical training initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of Ghana’s internet technical community. Designed to meet evolving industry demands, the workshop serves ISOC members and the wider internet ecosystem in Ghana. It seeks to provide a platform to attract new members, foster collaboration, and introduce courses and initiatives from the global Internet Society. For more from LINX, click here.

Aggreko bolsters industrial HVAC support with new appointment

British multinational temporary power generation and temperature control company Aggreko has strengthened its data centres sector industrial HVAC support with the appointment of Chris Smith as Head of Temperature Control for the UK and Ireland. With over 22 years of experience at Aggreko working across Europe, Chris is set to support data centre professionals with temporary and supplementary cooling, heating, and dehumidification requirements. The appointment comes as companies across the UK and Ireland continue to experience operational and process temperature challenges caused by changing weather patterns throughout the year. With high temperature spikes expected over the summer, there is increasing strain on HVAC systems across industries, resulting in further demand for reliable solutions while balancing vital maintenance and upgrade schedules. To support sites across the UK with this, Aggreko says it has invested in its capacity to support data centre professionals, both in increasing its fleet of industrial HVAC systems and developing the knowledge to correctly implement the equipment. Chris Smith, new Head of Temperature Control for Aggreko UK and Ireland, comments, “It’s great to lead our expert teams in supporting the data centre industry, alongside contractors, engineers, and energy managers working within them, [and] across the UK and Ireland with their industrial HVAC and process temperature needs. With unrivalled experience in the power sector, Aggreko is best placed to ensure that our solutions operate as efficiently and sustainably as possible to help our customers prevent any challenges that may present themselves throughout the year. “We are able to also achieve better optimisation and efficiency to deliver both cost and environmental savings through data collected through our control and monitoring solution, Aggreko Connect. I’m ready to hit the ground running and help our customers future-proof their industrial HVAC process temperature solutions so that they can combat any weather throughout the year.” Alan Dunne, Managing Director for Aggreko UK and Ireland, adds, “With his extensive expertise, it’s great to be bringing Chris into the UK and Ireland team to lead with our industrial HVAC process temperature offering at a crucial time where solutions are needed. “Helping provide the data centre industry with efficient and resilient solutions, Chris and our expert engineering teams will be able to support our customers through the entire process. Through this, we will be able to implement our leading solutions and strengthen our position as leaders to the industry.” For more from Aggreko, click here.

Clean Energy Capital rebrands to Xela Energy

Clean Energy Capital (CEC) has rebranded as Xela Energy – marking an evolution from a start-up renewables developer to a fully-funded, institutional energy business delivering long-term infrastructure at scale. The company says its rebrand reflects its "maturity as a company," from a start-up, seed-stage renewable energy developer to an established enterprise energy business that builds, owns, and operates private wire infrastructure for global businesses, including data centres, industrial manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and blue-chip technology organisations. The company now provides its customers with access to renewable power, alongside the pre-requisite experience in building and owning renewable energy assets, including construction management, asset management, operations, H&S, regulatory and commercial compliance, contract management, billing, and customer service. Alexander Goodall, Founder & CEO at Xela Energy, comments, “Our rebrand to Xela Energy reflects the business we’ve become — and one we continue to build upon. It’s not just about a new name, it’s about delivering real infrastructure to solve our customers’ challenges proactively, not reactively. From a four-person start-up to a team of more than 25 dedicated industry experts, it’s our people who make that possible. Their belief, drive, and commitment have shaped Xela from the very start, and they continue to push us forwards every day. Xela Energy has grown from origins in development to delivering large-scale renewable energy solutions for some of the UK’s largest power users. “With capital secured and land in strategic locations, Xela Energy brings shovel-ready, strategically located projects to the table [...] and is positioned to power a more sustainable, industrial economy. As we enter this new phase, we’re creating an organisation that is forward-looking, technology-agnostic, and ready to scale. At the heart of this rebrand is a simple belief: if our energy is unsustainable, so is our existence.” The company claims that, due to a turbulent macroeconomic environment, UK commercial and industrial energy users can no longer rely on the grid to consistently deliver affordable or green energy, with Britain paying some of the highest prices of any country in the world for electricity, forcing businesses to seek off-grid solutions. Xela Energy says it responds to this demand by delivering renewable infrastructure located where power is needed, making renewable power an "undeniable part" of the answer to these industry-wide challenges. The company seeks to offer large-scale energy users access to clean, reliable, and cost-effective power, allowing them to reduce emissions, lower costs, and eliminate up-front capex. It continues by suggesting that central to this approach are Xela Energy’s Renewable Energy Service Agreements (RESAs): a private wire equivalent to a traditional power purchase agreement (PPA). RESAs, the company claims, enable Xela Energy customers to fix pricing, shielding them from future energy price spikes at scale and delivering industrial-scale green power directly to a site via private wire. These renewable energy projects are funded and built off-balance-sheet with the intention to help preserve customer capital for core growth activities directly into the customers infrastructure.

New energy agreement for nLighten’s UK data centres

nLighten, a provider of sustainable edge data centre services operating across the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, has entered into a new renewable energy supply agreement with UK-based provider Conrad Energy, covering all of nLighten’s edge data centre locations across the UK. Unlike traditional supply contracts, the agreement enables nLighten to monitor its renewable energy consumption with granularity – down to the asset level and on an hourly basis. The partnership, which initially started in April 2024 with the delivery of renewable power, was enhanced in January 2025 with the introduction of detailed tracking and reporting capabilities. Previously, nLighten’s UK energy procurement was based on market-driven purchases supplemented by annual Guarantees of Origin. Conrad Energy has progressively onboarded all nLighten UK meters, consolidating what was previously a fragmented energy procurement approach. Each month, nLighten receives a breakdown of its renewable energy supply from Conrad Energy. This includes asset-level insights into the share of wind, solar, and biomass sources contributing to the energy mix. The data allows nLighten to track its renewable coverage over time and calculate avoided CO₂ emissions based on the actual generation profile. “This collaboration goes beyond what most energy suppliers currently offer in the UK,” claims Francesco Marasco, VP of Energy Operations & Sustainability at nLighten. “Not only can we align our procurement with real-time pricing, but we now also have full transparency over how – and where – our renewable energy is being generated. It’s another step towards building the most sustainable edge data centre platform in Europe.” This model builds on learnings from a similar agreement nLighten established in Spain with Shell. However, the Conrad Energy agreement takes transparency a step further by providing visibility down to individual generation assets, not just the source. “We’re proud to support nLighten’s efforts to lead the way in data centre sustainability,” says Tim Foster, Director of Energy for Business at Conrad Energy. “By combining flexible supply structures with granular data visibility, we’re helping digital infrastructure operators align more closely with today’s energy realities and decarbonisation goals.” For more from nLighten, click here.

First companies achieve global FAN 1.1 certification

Smart connected devices from IoT, networking, and electronics providers are now achieving certification for the new Field Area Network (FAN) 1.1 program from the Wi-SUN Alliance, a global non-profit member-based association driving the proliferation of interoperable wireless solutions using open global standards. Exegin Technologies, Kyoto University / Nagano Japan Radio / Nissin Systems, Landis+Gyr, Renesas Electronics, Silicon Labs, and VertexCom have become the first companies to achieve FAN 1.1 certification. The recently-launched Certification Program aims to ensure that products, including smart meters, smart sensors, and other utility IoT devices, can successfully interoperate in a multi-vendor data network in compliance with the FAN 1.1 wireless mesh specification. Network builders across key sectors can now access the new features of FAN 1.1, including: 1. Low-power operation to support water metering, gas metering, and other low power field sensing use cases requiring battery life of ten years or more.2. High performance link speeds of up to 2.4 Mbps to support AMI 2.0 requirements.3. Expanded global support for 800 and 900 MHz regions.4. Compatibility with existing Wi-SUN FAN networks. “We are very pleased to unveil the first certified products and vendors as part of our FAN 1.1 Certification Program,” says Wi-SUN Alliance CEO Phil Beecher. “Utilities and municipalities can now adopt these devices into their existing networks knowing that they can interconnect with other products in one common, interoperable ecosystem that boasts enterprise-class security and more efficient network-wide usage of available bandwidth. Wi-SUN FAN 1.1 offers significant benefits when compared with other sub-GHz, Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) technologies, providing greater reliability and resilience through self-healing mesh routing, and best-in-class enterprise level security.” The progress of certification of FAN 1.1 devices can be followed on the Wi-SUN website, and said devices can be used globally, including in the Americas, APAC, and EMEA. The FAN 1.1 wireless mesh technology is designed to support self-healing communications between a variety of devices used for applications from environmental monitoring to smart metering. FAN 1.1’s network reformation capabilities allow for recovery if the network were to go down, and is intended to handle power outages or local RF obstructions with the hope of ensuring communications remain uninterrupted.

Siemens to open data centre hub in Spain

Siemens Smart Infrastructure, a division of German conglomerate Siemens focusing on intelligent building technologies, energy systems, and digital infrastructure solutions, is to open a data centre technology hub in the Iberian region. The company says this strengthens its commitment to the development of sustainable, resilient, and efficient digital infrastructure, and reinforces Spain's role as a strategic digital gateway to southern Europe, amid strong sector growth. The move comes during an expansion of the Spanish data centre market, which is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of over 20%. Morgan Stanley estimates that the number of data centres in Europe will increase fivefold over the next decade, with Spain emerging as a key destination. Due to its strategic location, strong connectivity, and abundant renewable energy resources, Spain is seen as an attractive alternative by some, being potentially able to offer capacity relief for overwhelmed traditional (FLAP-D) markets. In its latest Report on the State of the Data Center Sector 2024, Spain DC forecasts that Spain could attract up to €13 billion in investment over the coming years. “The exponential growth of the cloud and AI workloads presents a significant business opportunity but also challenges, and we are committed to helping our customers streamline their operations, execute projects efficiently, and minimise costs, all while achieving their sustainability and availability goals,” says Ciaran Flanagan, Global Head of Data Center Solutions at Siemens. “The launch of this hub in Madrid marks a key milestone on this journey." According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global data centre energy consumption reached 415 TWh in 2024 and is projected to more than double to 945 TWh by 2030. Siemens’ new Iberian hub aims to support this rapidly evolving sector with, the company claims, solutions to optimise efficiency and reduce resource consumption. Building on the launch of its Nordic data centre hub, Siemens’ expansion to Madrid suggests an intention to support Iberia’s goal of establishing itself as a leading digital hub in southern Europe. The move should drive regional economic growth, create skilled jobs, and advance the development of digital infrastructure aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal. "The inauguration of this hub underlines the importance of the data centre market for Siemens, both globally and specifically for Iberia,” comments Fernando Silva, CEO of Siemens Spain. “With this new infrastructure, we will multiply our network of technical experts supporting our customers in their requirement for sustainability, efficiency, and operational reliability of their data centres." For more from Siemens, click here.

'EU’s shift on climate targets echoes industry reality'

According to a report from Aggreko, a British multinational temporary power generation and temperature control company, the European Union’s move to consider more flexible climate targets reflects a broader shift already underway, as highlighted in earlier research showing businesses adjusting net zero plans in response to rising energy costs. According to EU diplomats, the European Commission is set to propose a new bloc-wide climate target to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% from 1990 levels, while allowing flexibility for domestic industries and use of international carbon credits. This shift mirrors recent findings from Aggreko’s surveying of CEOs across Europe, which revealed that high energy costs are prompting many businesses to reassess their decarbonisation timelines to ensure a commercially viable transition. The company’s recent report, Rebalancing the Energy Transition, based on a survey of 400 CEOs across the UK, Germany, France, and Italy, found that 95% of large businesses have already adjusted their net zero strategies in response to energy supply and pricing pressures. These findings suggest the EU’s proposed shift reflects what is already happening on the ground in energy-intensive sectors subject to rising costs and grid issues. “The EU’s shift towards more flexible climate targets recognises the need for practical pathways to net zero that we’re seeing across industry,” says Robert Wells, Aggreko’s Europe President. “Our research shows that while the intention to invest in the energy transition remains strong, companies are evolving their strategies to ensure operational resilience while also driving environmental progress.” According to Aggreko’s research, while 12% of CEOs currently rank the speed of decarbonisation as their top priority, the vast majority remain committed to climate action. Approximately 80% plan to increase investment in energy transition initiatives over the next year, demonstrating that businesses are still committed to sustainable practices, even as they navigate cost and competitiveness challenges. With this in mind, Aggreko is urging businesses to look beyond timelines and focus on practical, scalable solutions that can reduce emissions while improving energy resilience. Central to this is the role of decentralised energy systems and supply chain collaboration, which Rebalancing the Energy Transition identifies as key to reducing energy costs and accelerating progress toward net zero. “In a volatile energy market, decentralised and flexible power solutions have moved from optional to essential,” Robert adds. “By working with supply chain partners to deploy renewable technologies and alternative power agreements, businesses can reduce emissions and costs simultaneously.” Aggreko’s sustainability framework, Energising Change, aims to support this approach by helping sectors such as manufacturing, construction, data centres, utilities, and petrochemicals to implement decentralised energy solutions that are both commercially and environmentally sustainable. Robert concludes, “The EU’s evolving stance is a recognition of the complex and multifaceted priorities businesses face. Our report provides a roadmap for navigating these challenges, showing that with the right strategies, it is possible to stay competitive and committed to climate goals. I would encourage all stakeholders involved in energy equipment procurement to seek it out and read it.” For more from Aggreko, click here.