Agenda 2025 - Day 1 - Critical Insight

AGENDA

Day 1 – Tuesday 11 November 2025

All times are GMT / UK

Day 1 – Welcome

Jordan O'Brien, Editor, Data Centre Review

Introduction to Critical Insight from Jordan O’Brien, Editor for Data Centre Review.

Keynote – Powering AI Britain

The UK is clamouring to be amongst the leading nations in the AI race, but there remains the fact that grid access within the country is tight. This keynote will explore the challenges new data centres face when it comes to getting grid connections, as well as how the connections reform process could potentially help. It’ll also look at strategies data centres can take to ensure access to reliable power without an overeliance on the National Grid.

Accelerating Deployment for the AI Era

The exponential growth of AI and High-Performance Computing (HPC) is driving an urgent requirement for high-density data center capacity, specifically in the 5 to 50 megawatts (MW) range. This critical market need is consistently constrained by the complexity and unpredictable schedules of traditional deployment methodologies.

This session will focus on how unified, prefabricated infrastructure provides a strategic framework to overcome these bottlenecks, prioritising speed of deployment and accelerating the path to compute readiness. The discussion will cover the quantifiable benefits of a modular, end-to-end approach that integrates all critical systems into factory-tested modules.

Partner session

When connections lag, on-site power can help fill the gap. This session will go into more detail about how data centres can leverage on-site generation technologies to keep their data centre online – looking at all the options, from gas engines and HVO to renewables and small nuclear reactors.

15-minute break

Worried about your water usage? Check your UPS

The debate around data centres and water usage is heating up, but the discussion often overlooks the relationship between power systems and cooling demand. Every watt lost as heat in the power chain translates into more energy and, in some cases, more water needed for cooling. During this session, Jason Yates, Technical Services Director at UPS, will explore how higher-efficiency UPS designs can reduce thermal load, ease cooling requirements, and indirectly lower water consumption.

Panel – Dispelling the water myth

The data centre industry gets a bad rap for its water use, but research suggests that the industry, at least in the UK, isn’t all that thirsty for water. In this panel discussion, our experts will discuss how the industry can work towards building a better reputation, while also ensuring those facilities that are a bit more water-intensive switch to better alternatives.

End of Day One

Please note: This live interactive event will be viewable on your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. There will be opportunities to put your questions to the guests. Once registered, you will need a special link to attend. This will be emailed to you about one week before the start.