DCD Zero Downtime: The Bi-Weekly Data Center Show

The UK wants more data centers. The government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, announced in January, is driving operators to look outside of Greater London. We talk to Lee Myall, CEO of Neos Networks – a B2B fiber provider in the UK – about the state of the UK’s connectivity infrastructure, what kind of delays are faced by data center operators in the country, and the impact of AI workloads on fiber buildouts.

Brian Pryor, an investment banker with 16 years at Houlihan Lokey, dives into the rapidly evolving data center market. He discusses the shift from TMT to digital infrastructure, emphasizing the impact of AI on demand. Pryor highlights the urgency behind development timelines due to supply-chain constraints and regulatory hurdles. He evaluates the potential AI bubble and stresses the importance of established operators amidst industry consolidation. By analyzing notable deals and financial interconnections, Pryor paints a vivid picture of the sector's challenges and opportunities.

In this conversation with Drew Turner, Director of Global Decarbonization Solutions at Danfoss, listeners explore innovative ways to utilize data center waste heat for district heating, showcasing projects across Europe. Drew highlights the strategic importance of waste heat and its role in sustainability. He discusses retrofitting benefits, potential applications in pools and aquaculture, and the integration of AI and HPC as heat sources. Drew also emphasizes the need for modernizing existing systems and the future of on-site renewable energy in achieving decarbonization.

Tesh Durvasula, CEO of AtlasEdge, leads the charge in redefining edge data centers across Europe. He reveals how AI and demand for low-latency have propelled the company from small sites to larger 5–50MW facilities. Tesh discusses targeting secondary markets like Lisbon and Barcelona, the challenges of retrofitting older sites, and the role of sustainability in attracting major players. He also touches on innovative power models and the exciting prospects of autonomous driving as a catalyst for edge growth.

Amit Narayan, the Founder and CEO of GridCARE, brings his Stanford research expertise to revolutionize data center grid connections. He discusses how AI uncovers hidden grid capacity, debunking misconceptions about utilization. Narayan emphasizes the necessity of faster connections for AI data center scaling, highlighting the economic benefits for developers. He also explains GridCARE's partnerships with utilities and its potential for international expansion, while considering the role of on-site generation in making data centers better grid citizens.

There is plenty of talk about power and land availability, but another hurdle to data center growth and development is capital. In this episode, we talk to Julie Brewer, EdgeCore’s EVP of finance, about the different ways data center developers and operators can secure funding - be it through equity or debt. In addition, we discuss how Brewer’s experience of secure funding has varied between her roles, from the retail colocation space, to hyperscaler properties. 

The price of Bitcoin might be higher than ever, but that isn’t stopping companies from pivoting to hosting AI and HPC infrastructure as well as cryptomining rigs.In this episode of DCD>Zero Downtime, Hut 8 CEO Asher Genoot talks about the company’s pivot away from mining cryptocurrencies to become a data center provider for both the crypto and AI sectors, and how to create a base facility design that can tailor to both worlds.He also talks about the American Bitcoin venture the company has formed with Eric and Donald Trump Junior, and what the sons of the US president are like to work with.

DCD sits down with Alex Goodall, CEO of Xela Energy, to discuss the company’s rebrand from Clean Energy Capital, and how it aims to deliver behind-the-meter renewable power to the UK’s data center market.

In this episode, DCD catches up with Bill Long, CPO at Zayo Group, to discuss the company’s long-haul fiber build across the US to support the growing demands of AI workloads. Long also discusses Zayo’s acquisition of Crown Castle’s fiber assets and why the Macro Edge provides a worthwhile opportunity. 

Drew Barrett, COO and co-founder of Zendo Energy, shares insights from his extensive 13-year career at Octopus Energy. He discusses Zendo's innovative Energy OS, designed to optimize energy procurement for data centers. Key topics include real-time signals to suppliers for better trading, the impact of AI workloads on energy demand, and strategies to unlock stranded capacity for significant savings. Drew emphasizes the importance of local renewable integration and the need for technological advancements to manage market volatility, aiming to help data centers turn energy into a competitive advantage.