Wärtsilä and AVK collaborate to deliver on-site power generation for 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.
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“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.
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.
