West London tech sector threatened by power shortages

Power shortages are posing significant threats to the UK’s expanding technology sector, particularly in West London, according to recent statements from energy solutions provider Aggreko.

The company is advocating for the use of bridging solutions to mitigate energy grid capacity issues and ensure the continuity of new data centre projects.

West London, one of Europe’s largest data centre markets and the third largest globally, is experiencing significant grid strain. The region’s National Grid is currently awaiting planning permission for a new substation, which has resulted in 14 new data centre projects being put on hold. The delay, anticipated to last several years, is jeopardising the projected tech boom in the area.

Billy Durie, Global Sector Head of Data Centres at Aggreko, emphasised the importance of these bridging solutions. “In the short period since coming to power, the new Government has put out a clear statement of intent regarding the importance of the data centre sector. The relaxation of planning rules, alongside the recent categorisation of data centres as critical national infrastructure, has geared the nation up for major investment that may well trigger an industry boom,” he said.

Durie continued, “However, it is vital that energy solutions companies like ourselves support our customers hampered by these types of challenges around grid capacity shortages. For this reason, we are encouraging project managers to take power provision into their own hands via the means of bridging solutions.”

The company’s stance is further elaborated in its latest whitepaper, “Bridging the Energy Gap for European Data Centres”. This document delves into the various energy challenges facing the sector and suggests decentralised energy solutions as a means to bridge the energy gap. Two key technologies highlighted in the whitepaper are battery energy storage systems (BESS) and stage-V generators, which are both crucial components of Aggreko’s sustainability framework known as “Energising Change”.

Case studies cited in the whitepaper include a notable project involving a new data centre in Dublin, which faced challenges in securing a grid connection. To address this, Aggreko provided 24 x 1MW stage-V generators under a 12-month contract, delivering 20MVA of power. This solution allowed the project to proceed without delay, resulting in savings of 2,107 tonnes of carbon, 786,240 litres of fuel, and over GBP £1 million.

“Bridging solutions allow data centres to access the power they need without delay, in turn ensuring that project timescales are not affected,” Durie noted. “On a wider scale, this will allow the sector to thrive across the UK and reap the full benefits of the new opportunities that are now available to it.”