The data centre power landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. The demand for energy in high-tech industries and from artificial intelligence (AI) applications is increasing rapidly, making it essential for data centres to secure reliable on-site power.
Traditionally, data centres have relied on national grids and renewable energy sources secured through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
This rising demand for data centre power, coupled with global trends toward electrification and increased industrial energy consumption, is leading to delays and bottlenecks in obtaining grid connections for new data centres.
The pressing need to secure a reliable power supply for data centres is driving demand for alternatives to national grid connections. These include on-site power for data centres to ensure high levels of availability. As a leading power plant supplier, Wärtsilä offers reliable, fuel-efficient, and low-emission solutions for meeting your primary data centre power consumption needs. These solutions involve engine power plants that can run on natural gas and/or liquid biofuel.
On-site power for data centres need to be:
Reliability and availability are important because even minor power disruptions can lead to downtime and data loss, which can result in significant financial losses.
Scalability is important because data centres also need to accommodate the increase in power demand driven by rapid digital transformation, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and big data.
Adaptable to load variations
Load following capabilities are essential for modern power plants, enabling them to dynamically adjust their output to match the fluctuating demands of the grid.
Fuel efficiency is a critical requirement because data centres consume vast amounts of power and face increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint.
A data centre energy supply solution that fulfils these requirements will help to ensure uninterrupted operations and support the growing demand for data centre power.
Wärtsilä offers power generation solutions tailored for data centres. Our engine power plants have fast deployment times, can run on natural gas and/or liquid biofuels and are able to act as the primary source of on-site power for data centres.
Engines are the most fuel-efficient power generation assets available today and are also a sustainable choice for meeting data centre power demands as their high efficiency results in lower emissions. This makes them an ideal choice for on-site power for data centres that both demand exceptional performance and have high sustainability targets.
Wärtsilä also offers combined heat and power (CHP) systems that can be used to repurpose waste heat for data-centre cooling, further reducing the carbon footprint of data centres.
Engine power plants are designed to bridge the gap between the period of no grid connection and grid connection. Engines can initially operate as the primary power source and later be converted to a balancing power plant: such as a power exporting plant or a backup plant once the grid connection is finalised. This flexibility ensures that the data centre remains powered at all times, regardless of grid availability.
Wärtsilä engine sizes range from 10 to 20MW and have compact physical dimensions. This makes them suitable for various data centre configurations from 30 MW up to several hundred MW configurations
The modular design allows the data centre energy supply solution to grow as the demand for power increases, offering flexibility and scalability.
typical factory delivery time
Wärtsilä’s advanced combined heat and power (CHP) solutions allow data centres to explore the potential of using waste heat from engines to produce chilled water through absorption chillers. This integration can help meet a data centre’s cooling needs sustainably, with the plant’s fuel efficiency exceeding 80% in certain cases.
efficiency
Engines are one of the most fuel-efficient power generation assets available today; Wärtsilä engines can in some cases exceed 50% electrical efficiency. This high efficiency translates into lower fuel costs and emissions – both key factors to support data centre profitability.
Due to their high efficiency, engines are an ideal source of primary power for data centres and can deliver full power at temperatures ranging from -45°C/-49°F to 45°C/113°F. This means engines can deliver on-site power for data centres in a wide range of geographical locations.
Sustainability is increasingly critical for data centres as they consume vast amounts of energy. Global energy demands are surging – but there is also a heightened focus on carbon footprints, which means that data centres are under pressure to adopt more sustainable practices.
Wärtsilä’s engine-based data centre energy supply solutions contribute to a data centre’s sustainability plans, helping to meet regulatory requirements by lowering emissions. They also have the added advantage of almost zero water consumption thanks to the closed-loop cooling system. A Wärtsilä engine power plant consumes less than 5l/1.3 gal of demineralised water per hour due to its high efficiency and low cooling needs.
Wärtsilä engines can run on biogas, e-methane and 25% hydrogen blends. In 2024, Wärtsilä released the world’s first large-scale 100% hydrogen-ready engine power plant, taking a key step towards net zero and a 100% renewable energy future.
Engine-based power plants that offer rapid start-up and unlimited cycling capabilities provide significant benefits for data centres because they ensure consistent power in a dynamic environment. As data centres face fluctuating power demands, Wartsila engines provide unmatched flexibility and load following capabilities.
With excellent dispatch capabilities in Wärtsilä engines can synchronise and begin generating power in just 30 seconds, reaching full load in as little as two minutes without any minimum uptime or downtime limitations. Unlimited starts and stops have no additional cost, for example in terms of maintenance.
Reliable on-site power for data centres is extremely important as they are at the core of critical digital infrastructure that supports businesses, governments and individuals. Any downtime can result in significant financial losses, disruption to services and compromised data integrity.
When using engine-based power plants as the primary data centre power supply, the ability to operate on a variety of gaseous or liquid fuels provides energy security in case of fuel supply disruptions. In addition to low gas pressure requirements, engines can instantly switch between fuels while maintaining full output and high efficiency. This gives you both flexibility and security of power supply.
Wärtsilä Energy is a globally recognised leader in power solutions, with a workforce of 5,000 employees and 80,000 MW of installed power plant capacity worldwide. Our extensive experience and proven track record make us a trusted partner for data centre power needs.
By combining scalability, sustainability and support, Wärtsilä engine power plants are tailored to meet the on-site power demands of modern data centres.
Technology group Wärtsilä and energy solutions business AVK-SEG have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at meeting data centres’ unique power requirements. The agreement was signed in May 2024.
Data centres are essential in ensuring businesses and organisations can store, process, and manage their data and operations securely and efficiently. To be efficient, data centres require a reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply. In many cases, grid connections are unable to provide the necessary level of reliability, meaning that on-site power generation becomes essential.
"Combining AVK’s 30-year track record in power system design for data centres and Wärtsilä’s leading expertise in designing and manufacturing high-efficiency medium-speed engines, we can ensure a reliable power supply for these critical operations," says Kenneth Engblom, Vice President, Africa & Europe at Wärtsilä Energy.
Under the terms of the agreement, AVK will carry out the design and installation of on-site power generation, which is used as the primary power source for data centres. Wärtsilä will provide the engineered equipment and maintenance support. The main focus of the combined approach will be the growing European data centre market. Power requirements are driven largely by generative AI, which can require a lot more power per query than traditional search.
"The partnership is very exciting not only for AVK and Wärtsilä but for the market as well. We are seeing increasing demand for alternative power solutions for grid-constrained data centres. Wärtsilä’s track record in deploying technology for various applications and AVK's position in the data centre market make a really exciting prospect moving forward. AVK is the largest and fastest-growing supplier of power solutions for data centres in the UK and Europe," comments Ben Pritchard, CEO, AVK.
Wärtsilä and AVK are currently executing two energy centre projects in Ireland. Both companies are committed to solutions which enhance decarbonisation, and Wärtsilä’s engines are developed to be ready for sustainable fuels as they become available.
Media contact for more information on this release:
Anne Alarotu
Head of External Communications
Wärtsilä
Mob: +358 50 487 1308
anne.alarotu@wartsila.com
Image caption: Technology group Wärtsilä and energy solutions business AVK-SEG have signed a cooperation agreement to deliver on-site power generation for data centres.
© AVK-SEG
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Wärtsilä Energy in brief
Wärtsilä Energy is at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers and the power sector to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system expertise. Our solutions include flexible engine power plants, energy storage and optimisation technology, and services for the whole lifecycle of our installations. Our engines are future-proof and can run on sustainable fuels. Our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity, of which 18 GW are under service agreements, and over 125 energy storage systems, in 180 countries around the world.
www.wartsila.com/energy
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,800 professionals in more than 280 locations in 79 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2023, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.0 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com
AVK in brief
AVK are the largest and fastest-growing supplier of innovative power solutions for data centres and the financial sector in the UK and Europe, specialising in all aspects of the design, planning, implementation, and continuing maintenance. At AVK, we power tomorrow’s data. As a team, we are disrupting the way the data industry connects to and consumes energy by developing innovative and sustainable solutions across the globe. We work together across disciplines to tackle complex, large-scale, and ground-breaking engineering and energy projects. With offices and hubs across the UK and Europe, AVK are in a unique position in terms of operational scale and delivery capability to help deploy leading edge solutions for our clients – helping them meet their power demands alongside their sustainability goals.
To learn more, visit www.avk-seg.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
