Robert Silvester, Chief Revenue Officer at Ark Data Centres, explores how data centres can balance sustainable growth with the UK’s digital infrastructure, energy and planning needs.
The data centre industry is facing a challenging balancing act, achieving sustainable growth of the UK’s digital infrastructure amid complex planning regulations and energy supply constraints. With capacity demands surging alongside the growth of AI, cloud services, and digital consumption, the industry must navigate these pressures while aligning with the nation’s broader infrastructure needs.
The government has become acutely aware of this challenge, recently designating data centres as Critical National Infrastructure. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner intervened by calling in two data centre planning applications in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, which local planners had previously rejected. In order to promote the growth of AI and increase productivity, it’s clear that planning decisions are being scrutinised at the highest levels.
By calling in the two schemes, the Secretary of State has the opportunity to direct the planning system as to whether new data centres are built on either greybelt (previously developed land in the greenbelt), or greenbelt land, raising questions as to how these new facilities can be effectively integrated into regional and national infrastructure planning. As the digital backbone of the UK’s economy, data centre growth will therefore need to align with national priorities.
Planning for a sustainable digital future
Given our insatiable demand for data, there is little question as to whether new data centres should be built – they are the ‘factories of the digital revolution’. They will prove essential to meeting increased digital demands among businesses and consumers. The real focus is on how the sector can ensure that energy and development needs are holistically managed, while avoiding any bottlenecks that could limit necessary growth. Long-term energy planning and collaboration with local and national governments will be essential strategies moving forward as the industry expands.
Long-term energy agreements and stability in the grid
Change is needed in energy agreements to benefit both data centres and local communities. Successful data operations depend on the attainment of long-term, sustainable energy contracts, but the way they are currently structured is posing a problem. Speculative trading is one such flaw. Speculators are taking steps to reserve energy that they have no intention to use. Instead, they trade these contracts for profitable gains, creating unnecessary pressure on the grid and thereby counteracting long-term energy planning efforts
There are now steps to ensure an end to the practice of speculative energy reservations, instead ensuring that only those who are actually going to use power reserved and have the ability to develop can secure it. In doing so, the grid is likely to be more stable and support other forms of development projects, including housing. As an example of energy planning in the long-term, the creation of the Uxbridge Moor substation will support both energy demands from data centres and the local community. It will generate in excess of 1.4 gigawatts of power by 2029. This extension has been instigated and financially underwritten by the datacentre industry,
Steps to tackle increased demand
Given the massive potential demand from AI adding to the continuing exponential growth of cloud and other data storage products, operators are considering how they handle increased demands, particularly around cooling. AI workloads using the latest technology will require more advanced cooling systems that can cope with the increased heat levels incurred by AI chips. Current air-cooled systems are insufficient at handling these high-density environments, so we’ll see more liquid-to-liquid cooling systems being built.
Data centre designs will need to evolve to ensure that liquid cooling systems can be effectively integrated. By doing so, steps can be taken to ensure that sustainability remains at the forefront, while data centre operations are escalated to meet the increased energy and cooling demands of AI. It’s clear that the future development of data centres will be a fine balance of technological advancement and commitment to environmental responsibility. Every aspect of data centre design must be optimised to ensure efficient use of power and water, a commitment Ark has upheld for over a decade. This includes rainwater harvesting, solar panels for ancillary areas, modular construction for lifecycle replacement, and in-depth studies to enhance the operation of these highly technical facilities.
A resilient and sustainable future
Data centres are at the heart of the UK’s digital infrastructure. But, their viability in the future depends on more than just increased capacity. Engagement with both the government and local communities will be needed to ensure that planning and energy needs are tailored towards supporting digital and physical growth. Achieving sustainable expansion will rely on securing suitable energy contracts, investment in grid capacity, and adopting efficient cooling technologies.
With the UK keen to establish its leadership in AI and digital innovation, data centres will be central to the effort. A collaborative mindset that combines sector expansion alongside the implementation of a transparent and implementable national energy and development policy will be required to fully support the digital economy.
