E D I T O R ' S Q U E S T I O N

We hear from experts at Eaton and Lancium about their foresight on the environmental impact of sourcing alternative power solutions during critical infrastructure upgrades .

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Peter Kyle , Shadow Secretary of State for Science , Innovation , and Technology , has proposed easing planning requirements for data centres to boost the nation ’ s capacity for cloud computing and AI .

According to industry experts , this will likely invite far more applications for data centres on the greenbelt . However , with the National Grid already under significant strain and less developed in these areas , Billy Durie , Global Sector Head of Data Centres at Aggreko , is calling attention to the role bridging power will have to play in ensuring the scheme ’ s success .

“ Plans to expand data centre construction out to the greenbelt are likely to encourage the development of the UK ’ s cloud computing and AI industries , but will not be without their challenges ,” said Durie .

“ The wait for a grid connection on a new data centre build can often be multiple years , stretching into decades in extreme cases . Exacerbating this further is the lack of developed power infrastructure on greenbelt land , which will require significant time and investment to support the requirements of a high-energy user such as a data centre .

“ This is where bridging power comes into play . Decentralised energy solutions , totally independent of the grid , can support construction and commissioning before a mains connection is established , allowing the build to go ahead early ,” Durie added .

According to John Pettigrew , CEO of National Grid , the boom in AI will cause data centre power use to surge six-fold in the next decade . In direct contrast , the UK ’ s high-voltage transmission network is now more than 70 years old .

“ All factors point towards bridging power being critical to the success of the data centre sector moving forward ,” said Durie . “ Underlining this all is a need to ensure that growth is sustainable , in the interest of ensuring that the nation stays on track in its net zero ambitions .”

Here , Durie is highlighting the technologies that will be key to the provision of greener bridging power . Stage-V generators , Battery Energy Storage Systems ( BESS ), and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil ( HVO ), for instance , are just three that Aggreko is

investing in as part of its sustainability framework , Energising Change .

“ Regardless of the shifting political landscape , it is clear that data centres will be a key building block of the UK ’ s future . As grid infrastructure struggles to keep pace , greener bridging solutions will be key to powering growth ,” Durie said .

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