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Author: Zoe Towlson

Weekly Data Centre Digest – 29th November 2024

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

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Reports

DLA Piper: Navigating Global Growth in Data Centres – Riding the AI Wave. Read here.

A Shift in Iberian Demand: From Machinery to Data 2024. Read here.

Data center trends 2025: Vertiv predicts industry efforts to support, enable, leverage and regulate AI. Read here.

Europe

Latos Data Centres launched and announced a 90MW development in Cardiff. Read here.

Google plans “historic” data centre expansion in Finland. Read here.

Microsoft to build two data centers outside Cologne. Read here.

BSO unveiled DataOne: Europe’s first giga-scale AI Hosting Data Centre (France). Read here.

Planning application lodged for data centre in north Mayo. Read here.

Italy’s TIM to build 25MW data center outside Rome. Read here.

Broadcaster Rai completes five Edge data centers in Italy. Read here.

AWS uses lower carbon steel in the construction of new Swedish data centres. Read here.

Upskilling residents ‘absolutely key’ to new QTS Data Centers AI datacentre, insists deputy leader (Northumberland, UK). Read here.

New Kao Data data centre in Reddish will support local community projects. Read here.

Data centre constraints threaten to slow TikTok’s €12 billion privacy plan – with Ireland at the centre. Read here.

European operator Portus Data Centers is expanding its data center in Luxembourg. Read here.

Mercury Engineering has delivered Equinix’s FR13 data center in Frankfurt, Germany. Read here.

Echelon Data Centres challenges rejected expansion application. Read here.

nLighten rebrands Euclyde to strengthen French edge data center presence. Read here.

Middle East & Africa

Saudi Arabia is in discussions to develop a massive data centre at Oxagon, with an estimated investment of $12.8 billion. Read here.

Gcore and Qareeb Data Centres have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for digital infrastructure in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Read here.

Navigating the Future: How will the Middle East Data Center Market shape up? Read here.

The Middle East’s Digital Infrastructure Boom. Read here.

APAC

Equinix & NUS to launch sustainable data centre hub. Read here.

CPP Investments doubles down on Korean digital infrastructure. Read here.

Taiwan to power AI data center expansion with hydrogen tech. Read here.

Punjab CM approves Pakistan’s first Tier Four Data Center in Lahore. Read here.

Construction begins on $100m Koscom data center in Anyang-si, South Korea. Read here.

Chindata Group in talks for record $2.8bn loan to fuel Malaysian expansion. Read here.

Equinix secures prime Mumbai real estate for third data centre. Read here.

Infinaxis has topped out its data center in Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Read here.

DCI Indonesia is close to completing an expansion to its DCI H1 campus in Cibitung, East of Jakarta. Read here.

Japan earmarks extra ¥1.5 trillion for chips and AI this year. Read here.

North America

Core Scientific plans to upgrade Denton, Texas, data center for up to $6.1bn. Read here.

Meta set to develop 1,500 acre data center campus outside Indianapolis, Indiana. Read here.

Stream Data Centers is planning a major new 240MW campus outside Atlanta, Georgia. Read here.

US bank BNY sells site in Pennsylvania to Chirisa for 100MW data center development. Read here.

CyrusOne files to build data center outside DFW, Texas. Read here.

Elon Musk raises $6 billion for xAI’s Memphis data center. Read here.

Blackstone pours $500m into Texas AI data centres. Read here.

Microsoft is planning to expand it’s data center in Arizona. Read here.

Vantage Data Centers has topped out its AZ14 facility on its campus in Goodyear, Arizona. Read here.

Archer Datacenters has sold its stake in its first data center project in Tennessee and acquired land for a new site in Minnesota. Read here.

Digital Realty has bought a 155-acre plot for $160 million in Charlotte, North Carolina. Read here.

Cipher Mining announces acquisition of new site in West Texas. Read here.

Oppidan breaks ground 90,000 sq ft on Chicago data center. Read here.

The Falls Township Board of Supervisors approved a nondisclosure agreement Monday night regarding a proposed data center project at the Keystone Trade Center (Philadelphia). Read here.

Coresite completed the construction of 8MW data hall at VA3 data center in Virginia. Read here.

Data Center Developer Equinix Issues $1.2 Billion of Green Bonds. Read here.

South America

Piemonte Holding has launched Piemonte Capital, Brazil’s first asset manager focused solely on data centres. Read here.

Other interesting articles

Data Centre Infrastructure: Growth, Risk, & Commercial Opportunity. Read here.

Global data centre market confident about future growth. Read here.

Investors just can’t pull the plug despite datacenters facing AI power crunch. Read here.

Data-center reliance on fossil fuels may delay clean-energy transition. Read here.

Data center boom fuels demand for nuclear projects. Read here.

AI data centres could spike US energy bills by 70% in five years: think tank. Read here.

AI data centres are cranking up pressure on the supply chain. Read here.

How to Design and Build a Data Centre for the New AI Era. Read here.

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Increasing Apprenticeship Opportunities in the Data Centre Industry: Our Platinum Membership in The 5% Club

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

The data centre sector is experiencing remarkable growth, fuelled by the ever-increasing demand for cloud services and artificial intelligence. However, this expansion is hindered somewhat by a shortage of talent. The shortage is causing challenges not only for data centre professionals but also for employers and the industry as a whole.

Data is crucial to shaping the future and we need the right talent to tackle humanity’s most complex challenges. We genuinely want to help tackle these challenges by working together with companies and partnerships to highlight the ways they can help as well as coming up with new practical solutions. 

Some of the ways we help data centre companies build a pipeline of future talent directly are: 

  • Leading by example, showing our clients that Platinum membership in the 5% Club is possible as a company in the data centre industry
  • Participating in initiatives such as the Digital Futures Programme, a programme to give 14–19-year-olds exposure to the data centre sector from a young age
  • Showcasing the great work done by other companies in launching their own future talent initiatives, such as The AVK Academy, a new training hub for data centre engineers 
the 5% club platinum award

5% Club Platinum Membership Award

We’re thrilled that we’ve been awarded Platinum accredited membership as part of The 5% Club’s esteemed 2024-25 Employer Audit Scheme. This accolade highlights our unwavering commitment to empowering our employees through “earn and learn” initiatives such as Apprenticeships, Graduate Schemes, and Sponsored Student Placements. 

Achieving Platinum status is something we are very proud of. We have aways been passionate about the importance of continual learning and development. We also want to encourage the businesses we work with the consider investing in the development of the next generation of talent.

By being part of The 5% Club, we proudly stand alongside over 1,100 forward-thinking employers who are dedicated to driving positive change. The 5% Club represents a powerful movement of companies working together to make workplace training more inclusive, diverse, and accessible. Collectively, members support 1.9 million employees, with more than 108,000 individuals participating in “earn and learn” schemes. The Employer Audit rigorously assesses our efforts, future ambitions, and commitment to social mobility, diversity, and inclusion, further strengthening our mission. 

Mark Cameron OBE, Chief Executive at The 5% Club, commented:  

“We are incredibly proud of the outstanding employers, like DataX Connect, who have gone above and beyond to invest in the future of their workforce through a diverse range of ‘earn and learn’ initiatives. Their dedication, especially during these challenging times, deserves to be celebrated. By achieving Platinum membership, DataX Connect has shown an exceptional commitment to shaping the skills of tomorrow, contributing not only to their business but to the wider economy.” 

Gill Cronin, Director of Operations at The 5% Club, added: 

“It is inspiring to witness the dedication and passion our members bring to providing meaningful career development opportunities. DataX Connect’s Platinum membership highlights their leadership in creating impactful learning environments that prioritises inclusion and diversity. As we see 20% of our members reaching these prestigious tiers, it’s a true reflection of how companies like DataX Connect are laying the groundwork for the future talent pipeline.” 

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Latos Data Centres Aims to Fulfil the Promise of AI for UK Businesses

Posted on by Zoe Towlson
  • UK’s newest data centre operator plans to open 40 data centres across the UK by 2030
  • Focus on enabling AI in the UK with next-generation hyperscale and network-edge volumetric facilities which deliver computing power closer to end users

Stockton-on-Tees – 27 November 2024 – Latos Data Centres has launched, with a mission of enabling UK businesses to capitalise on the power of advanced computing, including AI.  Founded by telecoms entrepreneur Mike Carlin, the privately-held Latos plans to open 40 purpose-built data centres across the UK by 2030.  These will be a combination of hyperscale facilities, alongside smaller volumetric assets at the network edge.

The company has already secured planning permission for its first hyperscale complex near Cardiff and has further sites in development.

Latos “next generation” data centre strategy combines a focus on low-latency, high-performance computing, with flexible modular designs, energy efficiency, and the tightest security standards.  

Read more
Latos Data Centres Aims to Fulfil the Promise of AI for UK Businesses

Latos hyperscale data centre in Cardiff, now under construction, will be a Tier III asset designed to meet the needs of the most demanding global technology companies. It will deliver a total of 90MVA across 50,400sq.m of floor space. Power will come from a 100% renewable energy supply from the National Grid, supported with a backup feed from the neighbouring 1000MW Tremorfa Energy Park, one of the world’s largest battery energy storage facilities.  

Latos volumetric data centres will deliver computing power at the network edge, supporting sophisticated AI use cases like autonomous vehicles and smart manufacturing. Using a modular design approach with offsite assembly, Latos can build and open new volumetric facilities in less than six months, on as little as 0.3 acres of land. Latos offers a turnkey volumetric capability that can be bespoke to customers’ needs. This can cover land acquisition, construction, fit-out, security monitoring, and remote management.

Edge data centre capacity will be key to driving the growth of AI in the UK. According to STL Consulting, as much as 50% of AI workloads will happen at the network edge by 2028. McKinsey analysis suggests that demand for AI-ready data centre capacity globally will rise at an average rate of 33 percent a year between 2023 and 2030.  

Mike Carlin, Founder of Latos Data Centres, said: “The growth of AI means the UK’s data centre map needs to change. Organisations will need more computing power closer to where it is needed, and the ability to specify the exact facilities they need. They also need the peace of mind that comes from working with an experienced partner. Our team has a deep heritage designing and building complex data facilities. We understand better than anyone how best to deliver the infrastructure UK organisations will need.”

Visit the Latos website to find out more.

Read more data center news

About Latos

Latos develops purpose-built, Tier III aligned data centres that harness renewable energy to support the most demanding applications. From Edge to Hyperscale, they engineer dedicated, tailor-made data solutions that power organisations of all kinds supported by rapid, industry-leading technical services.

Founded in 2021 by a core team with years of experience and a wide-ranging expertise in the data center industry and backed by I Squared Capital, a leading global infrastructure investor, nLighten is setting new standards for digital infrastructure in Europe.

Read more

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nLighten Unveils Rebranding of Euclyde to nLighten France at DC World in Paris

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

Euclyde transforms into nLighten France, advancing local and European Connectivity.

Amsterdam, 25.11.2024 – nLighten, a leading European digital infrastructure platform, is excited to announce the rebranding of Euclyde to nLighten France, following the acquisition of the Euclyde data centers in 2023. The rebrand will be formally introduced at the DC World event on November 27-28 at Porte de Versailles in Paris, a premier gathering for data center and digital infrastructure leaders.

With this rebranding, nLighten is continuing its journey of bringing its brand across the European platform in order to enhance the visibility of its offerings and deliver new opportunities and services to its clients. Operationally, clients will continue to receive the same local support from their dedicated contacts. The French team will remain closely involved in their account projects.

Beyond the national operations across edge data centers in Sophia-Antipolis, Paris, Lyon, Besançon and Strasbourg, nLighten France’s clients will now have opportunities for expansion across Europe through the group’s edge data centers in Germany, Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland.

“We’re thrilled to bring the nLighten brand to France and to our Euclyde team and customers, reinforcing our dedication to delivering cutting-edge digital infrastructure with a local focus in France,” said Harro Beusker, CEO of nLighten. “This rebranding aligns with our vision to bring the best in digital solutions closer to our customers, leveraging the strength of our European edge data centers to support growing demand.”

Anwar Saliba, Managing Director of nLighten France, stated, “Our quality of service, expertise, and presence throughout France are key assets that have made us a prominent player in the market. Under the nLighten France brand we will continue to build on these strengths, providing top-tier hosting solutions that support our clients’ digital transformations.”

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Euclyde transforms into nLighten France, advancing local and European Connectivity

Further Steps in Rebranding & Integration

Following the introduction of the nLighten France identity, further integration will allow customers to benefit from nLighten’s expanding ecosystem of sustainable, connected digital infrastructure. The new branding reflects nLighten’s commitment to regional edge data centers, enabling low-latency, highly connected, and sustainable solutions tailored to meet the demands of the French market, including evolving needs such as AI.

The DC World event serves as the ideal platform to debut this next chapter in nLighten’s growth story, with the rebrand symbolizing a continued investment in France and a shared commitment to innovation in the digital infrastructure space.

For more information, visit nLighten’s booth M32, Hall 7.1 at DC World or go to https://www.nlighten.eu/en/

Read more data center news

About nLighten

nLighten is a digital infrastructure platform focused on developing and operating innovative edge data centers across Europe’s key economic hubs. Its strategically distributed data centers deliver best-in-class network access to enterprises, private users, and the mobile workforce. nLighten is working towards establishing a pan-European presence in all major cities and smaller business hubs.

Its edge data centers are close, coupled, and connected: By being closer to customers and users, nLighten ensures low-latency access and high availability for businesses, mobile workforces, and private users. With a strong commitment to sustainability, nLighten’s data centers will be coupled with the local community, contributing to grid stability while minimizing environmental impact. Connected to an extensive network of carriers and service providers, nLighten empowers seamless, real-time data connectivity throughout Europe.

Founded in 2021 by a core team with years of experience and a wide-ranging expertise in the data center industry and backed by I Squared Capital, a leading global infrastructure investor, nLighten is setting new standards for digital infrastructure in Europe.

Read more

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Weekly Data Centre Digest – 22nd November 2024

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

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Data Centre Club Nights

Data Centre Club Arabian Nights Bahrain – Tue Nov 26 – McGettigan’s Bar Bahrain. Register here.

Reports

Aurora Energy Research, a global provider of energy market analysis, has published a new report highlighting how data centres are becoming critical infrastructure in the Iberian Peninsula. Read here.

KPMG: Data centres in Ireland. Read here.

Nvidia’s Data Center Revenue Hits Record High as Results Top Estimates. Read here.

Europe

Data4 broke ground on Greek data center outside Athens. Read here.

Mainova subsidiary secures €475m loan for data centre projects. Read here.

Planning application lodged for data centre in north Mayo. Read here.

TIM announced it will invest around €130 million to grow TIM Enterprise in the cloud and build a new data centre near Rome. Read here.

Firms hatch plan to use data-centre heat to grow food in Scandinavia. Read here.

EU to raid data centre builders over anti-competitive practices. Read here.

FOI requests show the vast majority of UK data center applications are approved. Read here.

Solaria enters the UK and continues to expand its data center business through the creation of joint ventures. Read here.

Cloud computing company Civo has launched a second cloud region in the UK with sustainability-focused data center provider Deep Green. Read here.

Ireland can cope with data centres and should build more. Read here.

Ferrovial taps data centre veteran to lead digital infrastructure push as CEO. Read here.

Middle East & Africa

Pure Data Centres and Dune Vaults to develop multiple hyperscale data centre campuses in Saudi Arabia. Read here.

Industry 4.0 and AI driving Hyperscale Data Center development in UAE. Read here.

Saudi Arabian data centre operator Ezditek has formed a joint venture with AI cloud infrastructure provider GCore to develop AI training models in the Kingdom. Read here.

Ezditek Breaks Ground on Data Center Facility in Riyadh. Read here.

APAC

Keppel DC REIT secures full ownership of key data centres in Singapore. Read here.

Colt Data Centre Services and RMZ announced a joint venture to invest $1.7 Billion in the Indian Data Centre market. Read here.

AirTrunk has partnered with solar developer Pekat Solar to develop a rooftop solar array at its JHB1 data center campus in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Read here.

Di Pilla’s $4b data centre play books December debut on ASX. Read here.

South Korea, India, Indonesia the next three markets for AirTrunk, says Robin Khuda. Read here.

JLL secures significant plot for digital firm in Thailand. Read here.

Fuelled by AI boom, India’s Data Centre capacity to surge 66% by 2026. Read here.

Mawson Infrastructure Group reports 222% revenue surge in digital colocation business. Read here.

CPP Investments and Pacific AMC form JV to develop data centres in South Korea. Read here.

North America

Facebook parent Meta plans $5 billion AI data center in Louisiana. Read here.

Cologix Plans $7 Billion, 800-MW Data Center Complex in Ohio. Read here.

CleanArc to develop 600MW campus in Caroline County, Virginia. Read here.

Yondr Group has launched its first data center in Northern Virginia. Read here.

Vantage is to develop a data center campus outside Reno, Nevada. Read here.

Amazon picks Sunbury as site for $2 billion data center investment. Read here.

Iron Mountain Expands Planned Data Center Capacity in Virginia by more than 350 MW. Read here.

Core Scientific and Port Muskogee Break Ground on 100 MW HPC Data Center. Read here.

Corscale topped out 72MW Gainesville Crossing facility in Northern Virginia. Read here.

US hosting firm Patmos to convert former printing press in Kansas City into 100MW data center. Read here.

Elon Musk raising up to $6 billion to buy technology for Memphis data center. Read here.

1.7 million sq ft data center proposed outside Atlanta, Georgia. Read here.

Data center development proposed in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Read here.

Colovore opens second 9MW high-density, liquid-cooled data center in Santa Clara. Read here.

Microsoft launched two data center infrastructure chips to speed AI applications. Read here.

Massive Dallas Data Center Campus to Drive $25B Market Boom by 2027. Read here.

CPS Energy to invest upwards of $1.3bn in transmission and generation to meet rapid data center growth in Texas. Read here.

Duos signs 850MW deal with Fortress to deploy fleet of mobile gas turbines for data center sector. Read here.

Rowan Digital Infrastructure has appointed Charley Daitch as CEO, effective immediately. Read here.

LogicMonitor, which optimises data centre operations through technology is targeting UK growth after securing $800 million in funding. Read here.

CETY signs MoU with Metis to develop microgrid solutions for data center and crypto market. Read here.

Crusoe, a rumored OpenAI data center supplier, has secured $686M in new funds. Read here.

Other interesting articles

The good neighbour theory: how data centres can strike a better balance between technology, community and nature. Read here.

Is Greece Ready for Energy-hungry Data Centers? Read here.

What’s El Capitan? And Other Big Data Center Questions. Read here.

Data centres could aid offshore wind development. Read here.

This hyperscale data center developer thinks about power differently. Read here.

Data center stakeholders must collaborate to meet clean energy targets. Read here.

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Building a Supportive Community for Women in Data Centres: The Story Behind the Forum  

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

In the fast-evolving world of data centres, diversity has long been a challenge—particularly when it comes to gender representation.

Women remain underrepresented across the industry, especially in leadership roles. Recognising this disparity, two industry leaders, Barbara Sacha and Charlotte Berry-Selwood, co-founded the Forum for Women in Data Centres to create a space where women can connect, grow, and thrive.

During a recent episode of the Inside Data Centre podcast, hosted by Andy Davis, Barbara and Charlotte shared insights into their careers and the mission behind the Forum.

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From global projects to industry leadership

Barbara, a partner at engineering consultancy Cundall, started her career in building services design before transitioning to data centres over seven years ago. Her expertise in managing large-scale, complex projects positioned her to excel in this highly technical sector. What stands out for Barbara is the collaborative nature of the industry:

“Building relationships with clients and working on long-term programs is something I enjoy a lot,” she shared.

Charlotte, now VP Commercial at AVK, has spent her entire career in the data centre space. From managing projects in Australia to holding global commercial roles, she credits the industry’s rapid growth for creating opportunities for career advancement:

“I feel very lucky to have fallen into this industry. The pace and scale of change make it a fantastic place to grow.”

Both leaders are united by their passion for the sector and their commitment to making it more inclusive.

The birth of the Forum for Women in Data Centres

The idea for the Forum stemmed from a glaring need: the lack of a dedicated community for women in the data centre industry.

Despite the growth of other initiatives like iMason Women and Women’s Tech Forum, Barbara and Charlotte felt a London-centric, grassroots effort was necessary to foster connections among women in the UK and Europe.

“We wanted a community where women could meet, share experiences, and see role models who inspire them,” Barbara explained.

The Forum launched with events in May and September of this year, drawing significant interest. It provides a platform for women to network, learn from each other, and build long-term professional relationships.

Listen to the podcast episode

Addressing the challenges

The Forum tackles several critical challenges:

Encouraging junior talent:

The Forum supports younger women entering the industry, helping them navigate their careers and encouraging them to stay in the sector.

Representation and role models:

Women in senior roles share their journeys to inspire newcomers and showcase the opportunities in data centres. Charlotte emphasised the importance of visibility: “If you can see it, you can be it.”

Education and advocacy:

Beyond networking, the Forum aims to educate male colleagues and decision-makers about the unique challenges women face.“Through education, we can make the environment better for women and drive meaningful change,” Charlotte noted.

A vision for the future

Looking ahead, Barbara and Charlotte envision the Forum as a catalyst for lasting change. They hope to:

  • Drive structural change: By engaging with C-suite leaders and decision-makers, the Forum seeks to address systemic barriers to inclusion.
  • Foster comfort and connection: Women should feel at ease at industry events, knowing there are familiar faces and allies.
  • Create networking opportunities: Strong professional networks can help women thrive in a traditionally male-dominated field.

How you can help

Barbara and Charlotte are inviting everyone—women and men alike—to support the Forum’s mission. Here’s how you can contribute:

  • Join the LinkedIn group: Stay updated on events and initiatives.
  • Advocate for diversity: Encourage your organisation to take actionable steps toward gender equity.
  • Participate in events: Whether as a speaker, attendee, or supporter, your presence matters.

As Andy Davis put it:

“The sector is ripe for positive disruption. It’s important to create these communities and drive change.”

The Forum for Women in Data Centres is not just a space for connection—it’s a movement to redefine the industry’s future. Join the conversation and be part of the change.

Listen to the podcast episode

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Weekly Data Centre Digest – 15th November 2024

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

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Data Centre Club Nights

DCC are heading to Zurich. 19th November. Dupont – Brassierie & Bar. Register here.

Reports

Gartner Predicts Power Shortages Will Restrict 40% of AI Data Centers By 2027. Read here.

Ensuring U.S. Leadership in AI: Industry Perspective on Data Center Growth. Read here.

Anthropic CEO: AI training data centers to be $10bn in 2026, $100bn from 2027. Read here.

Europe

DTCP announced the launch of a new data center platform, GreenScale. Read here.

Aermont to buy European data centre firm Nabiax from Asterion and Telefónica. Read here.

Construction firm ACS plots 5GW data center investment strategy. Read here.

Portugal’s national grid CEO says group has 2GW of data centre capacity in the making. Read here.

EDPR is exploring locations across Spain and Portugal to build data centers powered by renewable energy. Read here.

Skanska signs additional contract to build a data center in Telemark, Norway. Read here.

Digital Core REIT has announced plans to hold an EGM on December 4, 2024, to discuss its proposed acquisition of an additional interest in a data centre in Germany. Read here.

ING supports Ark Data Centres with the expansion of Union Park data centre campus. Read here.

New data centre platform EdgeNebula has launched its operations with a focus on addressing the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Read here.

Drax Group Plc is exploring options to sell power to a data-center provider in the UK, guaranteeing income for its biomass-fired plant. Read here.

Fighting Abbots Langley (UK) data centre plan cost council £108k. Read here.

Permission for new battery plant and data centre ‘undermines Welsh planning policy’. Read here.

Pretax profits at Irish arm of data centre company Equinix more than halve. Read here.

Middle East & Africa

Saudi Arabia launches $100bn AI, digital infrastructure mega investment package. Read here.

Beeah and Khazna sign Sharjah data centre pact. Read here.

Ethiopian natural gas may be used to power data centres. Read here.

Teraco begins construction of 120MW Solar Plant to Power South African Data Centers. Read here.

Africa Data Centres intends to expand its presence across West and North Africa. Read here.

APAC

Australian HMC Capital to launch £2bn data centre IPO. Read here.

Amazon appears to have shelved plans for a 40MW data center in Sydney, Australia. Read here.

Malaysia’s Data Center Bet: New Planning Guidelines Set to Drive Growth. Read here.

Shanghai DC-Science Co., a leading Chinese data center developer and operator, is actively seeking a substantial private debt financing of between $600 million and $700 million. Read here.

Goodman completes third data centre building in Tsuen Wan West, Hong Kong. Read here.

Empyrion Digital Expands into Thailand with a New Data Center. Read here.

State-owned Telecommunications Consultants India Limited has started work on a $70m Indian Coast Guard’s data center in Mahipalpur, New Delhi. Read here.

Nxtra planning 200 MW data center in Hyderabad. Read here.

STT GDC has broken ground on two facilities in Mumbai, India. Read here.

Tencent Holdings is set to invest $500 million as part of plans to develop a third data center in Indonesia. Read here.

Chinese data center firm Zdata eyes Hong Kong IPO. Read here.

North America

FERC’s Talen Energy-Amazon decision unlikely to impact NuScale data center plans. Read here.

Dataprana Inc. began the construction of its 30-megawatt (MW) data center in La Marque (Texas). Read here.

Bloom Energy has signed a supply agreement with American Electric Power for up to 1GW of its products, the largest commercial procurement of fuel cells in the world to date. Read here.

Meta launched it’s Gallatin Campus. Read here.

Prime Data Centers today announced the opening of its Los Angeles Data Center. Read here.

Why Fluor sees good news in Trump and data centre ‘sweet spot’. Read here.

Turner to build $2bn Ohio Vantage Data Centers campus. Read here.

Stack Infrastructure has filed to build two more data centers outside Atlanta, Georgia. Read here.

Patmos to convert Kansas City Star building into a state-of-the-art 100 MW data center. Read here.

Balico LLC is revising plans to develop a 300MW Data Center campus in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Read here.

California utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company is to develop three data centers in San Jose totaling 200MW. Read here.

Amazon buys 350-acre parcel in Becker, Minnesota, for data center. Read here.

Stillwater residents vote to approve Data Center Project. Read here.

Ark has broken ground on Green Bay data center expansion in Wisconsin. Read here.

Wichita Falls council approves land rezoning for 300MW data center in Texas. Read here.

Amazon has purchased 348 acres of land in Becker, Minnesota, for a data center project. Read here.

A 900-acre data center campus outside Atlanta, Georgia, has been granted zoning permission. Read here.

Sharon AI plots 90MW natural gas-powered data center in New Mexico. Read here.

Logistix gets planning commission approval for data center project outside Cincinnati, Ohio. Read here.

Talen eyes options for Amazon data center after regulator rejection. Read here.

Canadian power generator TransAlta is in talks with major data center operators interested in building sites in Alberta, Canada. Read here.

South America

Brazil’s Modular Data Centers mulls expansion. Read here.

Other interesting articles

It’s not getting any easier to keep data centres cool, warns ABI Research. Read here.

AI takeoff turns data centers into America’s new building boom. Read here.

Texas boffins come up with new cooling material for data centres. Read here.

The data center industry needs a thicker skin. Read here.

These Silicon Valley apartments will get their heat from nearby data centers. Read here.

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Augmented Reality for Data Centre Building: Transforming Construction  

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

Augmented reality (AR) is revolutionising the construction industry, particularly in the realm of data centres.

This powerful technology enhances how we visualise and interact with physical spaces, leading to faster builds, improved accuracy, and significant cost savings.

In this podcast episode, Andy Davis uncovers how XYZ Reality, led by David Mitchell, is leveraging augmented reality to reshape the future of data centre construction.

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David Mitchell, CEO XYZ Reality

David Mitchell, founder and CEO of XYZ Reality, has a rich background in construction. Growing up on the west coast of Ireland, he was immersed in the building industry from a young age. His career path took him through various roles, from working hands-on in construction to becoming an architect. This unique blend of experiences shaped his vision for a more efficient construction process.

David identified a significant problem in the construction industry: the reliance on outdated methods and 2D drawings. He realised there was a need for a solution that would allow builders to work directly from 3D models, enhancing accuracy and reducing errors on site. This insight led him to establish XYZ Reality in 2017, a company dedicated to integrating augmented reality into construction practices.

The concept behind XYZ Reality

At its core, XYZ Reality aims to make construction faster and more efficient by enabling builders to work from holographic representations of their projects. This approach not only streamlines the building process but also facilitates real-time data capture, allowing teams to monitor progress and make informed decisions quickly.

David’s vision was validated through a series of experiments, including a notable project where a novice builder completed a task 17 times faster than an experienced counterpart using traditional methods. This groundbreaking finding underscored the potential of augmented reality in construction, prompting David and his team to pursue their innovative approach further.

Augmented Reality in action

XYZ Reality has developed a cutting-edge augmented reality device that resembles a hard hat with an integrated visor. This device is capable of projecting 3D models onto construction sites with millimetre precision. By using this technology, construction teams can visualise complex structures as they build, minimising errors and improving efficiency.

One of the standout features of their system is its ability to capture data in real-time, providing insights into installation accuracy, labour costs, and project timelines. This comprehensive data is then uploaded to a cloud environment, where project teams can access it, facilitating collaboration and transparency.

Real-world applications in data centres

The data centre industry is particularly well-suited for augmented reality applications due to its rapid growth and increasing complexity. With demands for faster construction and greater efficiency, XYZ Reality’s solutions are helping companies meet these challenges head-on.

For instance, one of XYZ Reality’s clients achieved timely delivery of their first data centre, a notable accomplishment in an industry known for delays. By utilising real-time data, the client could focus on meeting deadlines rather than constantly checking for compliance or quality issues.

In another project in Nebraska, a contractor reported a fivefold increase in installation speed for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) works, showcasing the immense potential of augmented reality to transform traditional construction timelines.

Listen to the podcast episode

Overcoming industry resistance

Despite the clear benefits of augmented reality, the construction industry has been historically slow to adopt new technologies. David acknowledges the challenges of implementing innovative solutions in a sector that has been resistant to change.

To address this, XYZ Reality provides a managed service that supports clients throughout the implementation process. This hands-on approach ensures that teams are equipped to utilise the technology effectively, minimising the risk of abandonment often seen with new tools.

As the industry becomes more familiar with augmented reality and its applications, there is growing recognition of its potential to enhance productivity and accuracy on construction sites.

The future of Augmented Reality in construction

Looking ahead, David is optimistic about the role of augmented reality in shaping the future of data centre construction. He believes that as technology continues to evolve, it will become increasingly accessible and easier to adopt.

One of the exciting developments in the pipeline is what Mitchell refers to as the “God particle,” a technology that would allow for millimetre-accurate tracking anywhere on Earth. This advancement could open new markets and applications in construction beyond current capabilities.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a seamless interaction between workers and their environment, enabling even those without extensive training to contribute effectively. As augmented reality becomes more integrated into the construction process, it will likely attract a new generation of talent, eager to embrace innovative technologies.

Addressing the labour shortage

One of the critical challenges facing the construction industry today is the labour shortage. With an estimated half a million job openings in the U.S. alone, attracting talent is essential for sustaining growth.

David emphasises that augmented reality can play a significant role in addressing this issue. By making the construction process more approachable and engaging, technology can draw in younger workers who may have previously viewed the industry as outdated or unappealing.

Moreover, as the industry integrates more advanced tools, the nature of construction jobs is changing. Positions that once required extensive physical labour will increasingly involve operating sophisticated technology, making the field more attractive to a broader range of candidates.

Listen to the podcast episode

The call to action

For those considering a career in construction, David encourages them to take the leap. The industry is evolving rapidly, and there are numerous opportunities for growth and development. As more companies adopt advanced technologies like augmented reality, the potential for career advancement and innovation is immense.

In conclusion, augmented reality is not just a trend; it’s a transformative force that is reshaping the construction landscape.

With pioneers like David Mitchell leading the charge, the future of data centre construction—and the industry as a whole—looks brighter than ever. As we embrace these changes, we can expect to see faster builds, improved accuracy, and a more engaged workforce ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

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Weekly Data Centre Digest – 8th November 2024

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

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Data Centre Club Nights

DCC are heading to Zurich. 19th November. Dupont – Brassierie & Bar. Register here.

Reports

CyrusOne announced new research which revealed that public attitudes towards data centers are more favorable than expected. Read here.

Blackstone: The Convergence of Data Centers and Power. Read here.

Synergy Group: Cloud Market Growth Surge Continues in Q3. Read here.

AI, Data Center And Energy Startups Get Large Capital Infusion In October. Read here.

Q3 2024 Colo earnings. Read here.

Europe

Amazon to invest $1.3bln in Italy data centre business. Read here.

EDF in talks with providers to power 1GW data centres in France. Read here.

atNorth announced the substantial expansion of two of its data centers in Iceland. Read here.

UK poised to follow the trend of private SMRs to power AI data centres. Read here.

techUK: Data Centre Sector Could Be Fastest Growing UK Industry. Read here.

The 12th-century village battling against the boom in AI data centres (UK). Read here.

The UK government is set to recommend the creation of special ‘computing zones’ for easier building of data centres, as well a simplified visa process for foreign workers with AI skills. Read here.

Box2bit plans €3.4bn data center in Zaragoza, Spain. Read here.

Telefónica said to close in on Nabiax sale to Aermont Capital. Read here.

Jones Engineering enjoys near doubling in profit as overseas business takes off. Read here.

US colocation giant Equinix has launched a new data center in Istanbul, Türkiye. Read here.

Baltic operator Delska has topped out its 10MW data center in Riga, Latvia. Read here.

Middle East & Africa

UAE’s Hodler Investments and China’s GCL Energy to power AI data centres in Ethiopia. Read here.

Batelco and Qareeb Data Centers sign MoU at Gateway Gulf Forum. Read here.

Equinix, Omantel launch new data centre in Oman. Read here.

Emerging Markets to watch out for in the Middle East. Read here.

APAC

GDS International received approval to build a hyperscale data centre in Thailand. Read here.

Thai Board of Investment approves two major data centre projects worth $1.7 billion. Read here.

Keppel has acquired an under-development data center being constructed in Tokyo, Japan. Read here.

Goodman expands data centre services to meet global demand. Read here.

Markham Real Estate has filed plans for a 38MW data center in Sydney, Australia. Read here.

Nxtra to set up a 200 MW data centre in Hyderabad. Read here.

APAC data center firm Empyrion Digital is expanding into Taiwan. Read here.

South Korea’s KIOST signed an agreement to develop underwater data center in Ulsan. Read here.

SK Telecom to Launch AI Data Centers in Seoul. Read here.

North America

Google, Meta and Nvidia co-found initiative to address data center power dilemma. Read here.

Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Announces Pricing of $1.0 Billion Exchangeable Senior Notes Offering. Read here.

Rare bees foil Meta’s position in data centre arms race. Read here.

Huge gigawatt-scale data centre projects join Alberta’s power lineup. Read here.

Province Group data center campus gets green light in Powhatan County, Virginia. Read here.

Switch is planning to expand its data center campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read here.

DataBank files for second Red Oak data center in Dallas, Texas. Read here.

Amazon has filed to develop a large data center campus in Louisa County, Virginia. Read here.

Microsoft acquires 1,385 acres of land in North Carolina. Read here.

Duos Edge AI Acquires Additional Edge Data Centers. Read here.

AES reports 900MW of new data center load growth across Ohio. Read here.

Hyperscaler capex forecasts to hit $300B in 2025: Morgan Stanley. Read here.

TVA approves Elon Musk’s controversial data center plan for more power. Read here.

Duke Energy’s new 2 GWs of US data centers to include minimum take agreements. Read here.

Constellation Energy has reaffirmed its commitment to developing data centers on the sites of its US power plants. Read here.

TA Realty files for 1 million sq ft data center campus outside Atlanta, Georgia. Read here.

Bristow residents may soon have another massive data center campus as their new neighbour. Read here.

Solarbank announced its strategic expansion into the rapidly growing data center market. Read here.

Turner Wins $2B Ohio Data Center Campus Contract. Read here.

Soluna Holdings reports progress in green data center projects. Read here.

Other interesting articles

AI Changing Face of Data Centre Design & Construction. Read here.

The environmental campaigners fighting against data centres. Read here.

Concerned about your data use? Here is the carbon footprint of an average day of emails, WhatsApps and more. Read here.

How Mercury Plugs Power Gap in Data Centre Construction. Read here.

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Weekly Data Centre Digest – 1st November 2024

Posted on by Zoe Towlson

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Reports

Data centers account for half of US clean energy procurement but only 20% in Europe. Read here.

Q3 Cloud results

Google: Q3 earnings call: CEO’s remarks. Read here.

Microsoft reported better than expected results. Read here.

Meta rides AI boom to stellar quarterly earnings, but slightly less than expected. Read here.

Amazon shares pop on earnings beat, cloud growth. Read here.

Europe

DigitalBridge to buy Yondr in major data centre development deal. Read here.

Bain Capital and Aquila Group partner to build a leading sustainable data center platform across Europe. Read here.

NTT plans to build new data centre in Nierstein (Germany) in 2026. Read here.

Iberdrola on precipice of signing data center joint venture in Spain. Read here.

Global Switch could raise £1.5bn by selling stake in UK business. Read here.

Major new data centre set for Norwich Research Park. Read here.

German data center firm Envia Tel is expanding its data center in Leipzig. Read here.

Soben announced senior leadership promotions to support continued global growth. Read here.

Wycombe Film Studios plans data centre amid ‘uncertainty’. Read here.

UK data center investment hampered by interconnection delays: Segro CEO. Read here.

Project Clover Update: Data migration to TikTok’s Norwegian data centre has begun. Read here.

CVC DIF to acquire leading data centre operator Adam Ecotech. Read here.

CORD to acquire stakes in two Belgian data centre providers. Read here.

Schneider Electric opens new Leeds critical power and cooling hub to address data centre skills shortage. Read here.

Middle East & Africa

Google Cloud to develop AI Hub in Saudi Arabia with PIF. Read here.

Oxagon — NEOM’s industrial city and the site of Saudi Arabia’s $8.5 billion green hydrogen project — is in talks to build a one-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center. Read here.

APAC

Equinix to invest US$500m in Thailand over next decade. Read here.

China officially launched a new pilot program that allows 100 percent foreign ownership of data centers and value-added telecom services in Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan, and Shenzhen. Read here.

GDS raised $1 Billion for Data Center Operations outside China. Read here.

STT GDC set to launch Philippines’ largest data centre. Read here.

Saigontel Plans New Data Center in Ho Chi Minh City. Read here.

Bridge DC signs 200MW data center JV with Malaysia’s Mah Sing. Read here.

Johor: From 10MW to 1,500MW in three years. Read here.

US Navy to build data center at Camp Blaz base in Guam. Read here.

Thailand’s Board of Investment said it had approved US$2 billion worth of new investments in data centres and electronics manufacturing. Read here.

Macquarie Bets on AI Data-Center Boom Even After AirTrunk Sale. Read here.

SunCon Eyeing 4 More Data Centre Projects. Read here.

RackBank announces 80MW Madya Pradesh data center in India. Read here.

North America

KKR and Energy Capital Partners announced a $50 billion strategic partnership to accelerate the development of data center and power generation and transmission infrastructure for the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and cloud computing globally. Read here.

Equinix posted revenues of US$2.2 billion for the third quarter of 2024, a 2% increase from the previous quarter. Read here.

Equinix Touts Major Shift In Data Center Development Strategy. Read here.

A developer looking to build a $1.5 billion data center near Niagara Falls, New York, wants to change zoning requirements to help push the 140MW project forward. Read here.

Vantage Data Centers broke ground on a 192MW Campus in Ohio. Read here.

New $750M data centre to be built in Calgary area, the largest in Alberta. Read here.

$5B data center campus on former Landover Mall footprint could break ground by 2026. Read here.

COPT Defense Properties is planning a gigawatt-scale campus in Iowa. Read here.

Microsoft to invest $1bn in data center campuses in Central Ohio. Read here.

Microsoft builds first datacenters with wood to slash carbon emissions. Read here.

Green light for a data center campus outside Richmond in Powhatan County, Virginia. Read here.

Goldman Institute calls for ‘data center diplomacy’ as U.S. competes in global AI race. Read here.

Peter Thiel’s VC leads Crusoe Energy’s $500M round. Read here.

TECfusions Secures Landmark 1 GW Capacity Commitment from TensorWave for AI-Ready Infrastructure. Read here.

Exelon sees 80% increase in Data Center spending. Read here.

South America

Hosting firm G2K plans data center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Read here.

Other interesting articles

Lumen Orbit wants to deploy data centers in space. Read here.

The Convergence of Data Centers and Power: A Generational Investment Opportunity | The Connection. Read here.

UK data centre investment stalled by lack of electricity supply. Read here.

AI power: Expanding data center capacity to meet growing demand. Read here.

AI Data Centers And The New Era Of Unprecedented Demand. Read here.

Data centre industry may double in S Europe but hurdles remain. Read here.

Why the rise of data centres is good news for the industrial & logistics sector. Read here.

AI and data centres will transform US power market dynamics. Read here.

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