Ireland has issued new conditions for large grid loads and proposed new codes for data center connections; similar measures are expected to follow in other locations.
Investment in large-scale AI has accelerated the development of electrical equipment, which creates opportunities for data center designers and operators to rethink power architectures.
Data from Uptime Intelligence's giant data center analysis indicates that proposed power capacity and investment tied to giant data centers and campuses are at unprecedented levels.
European national grid operators are advised to adopt proposed grid code requirements to protect their infrastructure from risks, such as data center activity, even though Commission action on the issue has stalled.
Uptime Intelligence looks beyond the more obvious trends of 2026 and examines some of the latest developments and challenges shaping the data center industry.
Uptime Intelligence’s predictions for 2025 are revisited and reassessed with the benefit of hindsight.
Meeting the stringent technical and commercial standards for UPS energy storage applications takes time and investment — during which Li-ion technology keeps evolving. With Natron gone, will ZincFive be able to take the opportunity?
Competition for grid power is increasing; data center operators need to use reserved grid power responsibly — to support business objectives, maintain strong relationships with authorities and avoid negative publicity.
Uptime's 2025 cooling survey found that fewer respondents cited sustainability as a primary driver for direct liquid cooling (DLC). Gradual advancement of DLC plans may be refining operator understanding of its incentives.
Superconducting busbars could offer a solution for delivering power to high-density racks, eliminating resistive heating and removing the need to shift to medium voltage distribution equipment.
Operators looking for low-carbon power may be assessing low-carbon hydrogen for standby or primary power. Except for niche applications, the technology is a long way from practicality.
Superconductive power cables promise faster, cheaper and simpler connections for data center operators waiting for power. They could also simplify campuses and microgrids.
In Northern Virginia and Ireland, simultaneous responses by data centers to fluctuations on the grid have come close to causing a blackout. Transmission system operators are responding with new requirements on large demand loads.
Several operators originally established to mine cryptocurrencies are now building hyperscale data centers for AI. How did this change happen?
Douglas Donnellan
Andy Lawrence
Daniel Bizo
Dr. Owen Rogers
Peter Judge
Jacqueline Davis
Max Smolaks
Rose Weinschenk
The 15th edition of the Uptime Institute Global Data Center Survey highlights the experiences and strategies of data center owners and operators in the areas of resiliency, sustainability, efficiency, staffing, cloud and AI.
John O'Brien
Jay Dietrich
Dr. Rand Talib
Dr. Tomas Rahkonen