How big tech and colocation providers can get ahead in the race for power

But while digital infrastructure can move quickly, the traditional energy infrastructure required to support it usually develops over much longer timelines. And this mismatch is driving growing interest in new, more blended approaches to powering data centre build out.

We see this as part of the SSE Group, which is active right across the energy vertical from utility-scale renewables, flexible thermal generation and battery energy storage systems (BESS) through to behind-the-meter infrastructure and retail energy plans.

In the race for power, integrated strategies combining co-connection and co-location with behind-the-meter generation, battery storage and interim power solutions are being sought out to support faster and more resilient deployment.

Co-connection and co-location

Co-connection is attracting growing interest as a way to accelerate access to power by making more flexible use of existing energised infrastructure and available connection capacity. This can involve coordinating connectivity across assets such as battery storage, renewable generation and flexible thermal infrastructure to support faster energisation and greater operational flexibility.

A closely related concept is colocation, where data centres are physically sited alongside infrastructure such as wind, solar, battery storage or flexible thermal assets.

While colocation can support deeper integration between digital and energy infrastructure in certain scenarios, co-connection may offer greater applicability across a broader range of developments by enabling operators to make more flexible use of existing infrastructure and available capacity.

In fact, the two approaches can play complementary roles within energy architectures designed to support faster deployment, resilience and long-term scalability.

Behind-the-meter renewables and batteries

Behind-the-meter solar and wind, on site or connected by private wire, can add another layer of flexibility and resilience to data centre energy strategies by providing direct access to lower-carbon generation close to demand.

Combined with battery storage, these assets can help operators manage variability in renewable output. During periods of strong renewable generation, surplus electricity can be stored within battery systems and used later to help support demand during periods of lower renewable output or peak pricing.

In this setup, resilient grid connectivity remains fundamental to ensuring reliability and operational continuity, and grid-supplied electricity can be paired with renewable procurement strategies such as CPPAs to support greater long-term control over both energy costs and carbon intensity.

Rather than relying on any single source of supply, the site operates across a more diversified and dynamically managed energy architecture, with digital control systems helping optimise how different power sources are prioritised in real time.

The result is a more flexible energy model that can maximise the use of lower-cost and lower-carbon electricity whenever available, while maintaining the reliability and resilience required for mission-critical environments.

Bridging power solutions

The race to power is also accelerating interest in interim and bridging power solutions, capable of supporting phased energisation strategies while longer-term infrastructure develops.

Today, that may include flexible thermal generation capable of delivering reliable and dispatchable capacity at scale. Alongside this, a range of emerging technologies are being explored with our partners as part of future bridging and onsite power strategies, particularly where operators are seeking greater flexibility, modular deployment or lower-carbon operation over time.

Power as a competitive differentiator

The next phase of AI growth is unlikely to be shaped by compute capability alone. Increasingly, competitive advantage may depend on how effectively organisations can secure, integrate and optimise access to resilient power at scale. As deployment timelines tighten and energy systems come under greater pressure, power strategy is rapidly becoming business strategy for AI infrastructure.

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