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Schneider Electric
Data center news, project activity, and monthly briefings for Schneider Electric.
Schneider Electric · Construction & power moves · 1
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Editor's picks
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Firebird Launches CIS Region’s Largest AI Factory in Armenia
Firebird has announced the launch of the CIS region’s largest AI factory in Armenia, creating a new AI computing hub built on NVIDIA and Dell Technologies infrastructure.
- The company says it plans to deploy more than 70,000 NVIDIA Rubin and Blackwell GPUs and 300 megawatts of AI infrastructure capacity in Armenia by end-2027.
- The facility in Hrazdan was delivered in just over six months; Schneider Electric supplied power systems and Vertiv supplied cooling, while Perplexity is an early customer and NVIDIA intends to invest in Firebird after an earlier CoreWeave investment.
- The opening ceremony was attended by Nikol Pashinyan, Zhaslan Madiyev, and David Allen.
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Hotter Than a Hot Tub: The 45°C Breakthrough to Cool AI’s Biggest Machines
NVIDIA announced the Rubin generation of AI infrastructure, the world’s first servers to achieve 100% closed-loop liquid cooling and to operate coolant up to 45°C, enabling substantial energy and water savings (blog published Jun 21, 2026).
- Main announcement: NVIDIA’s Rubin platform and the NVIDIA DSX AI factory reference design describe a 100% liquid-cooled server architecture running coolant up to 45°C, eliminating server fans and enabling chiller-less operation in favorable climates; the blog states the design can reduce facility cooling water use to near zero and cites a potential savings of over $4 million annually for a 50-megawatt hyperscale facility that adopts liquid cooling.
- Background and supporting details: The article notes Motivair (Schneider Electric) as an ecosystem partner, cites industry context that cooling can account for up to 40% of data center electricity use and that raising chiller plant temperatures by 1°C can cut cooling energy costs by ~4%; it quantifies conventional water use as ~2.6 million gallons per megawatt per year for cooling-tower systems and describes closed-loop dry-cooler designs requiring chillers only ~1% of the year in some climates.
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Liquid Cooling’s Hidden Risk: Why Commissioning, Controls, and Workforce Readiness Matter as Much as Design
T5 Data Centers (blog) warns that operational maturity — commissioning, controls, and workforce readiness — is as important as design for liquid-cooled AI data centers.
- Main announcement: T5 emphasizes that commissioning, controls commissioning, workforce readiness, and integrated operations must be treated as core requirements for liquid-cooled AI deployments rather than afterthoughts; the company outlines its approach including hiring for aptitude, system-specific onboarding, subject-matter-expert led training, and centralized technical operations support.
- Background and details: The post highlights speed-to-market pressures, the risk of commissioning mechanical, electrical, and controls systems independently, a prolonged live learning phase (noted risk during the first year of operations), and operational variation across sites (different CDU ownership boundaries, phased infrastructure bring-up); T5 prescribes continuous playbook updates and structured drills as mitigation.
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Built for momentum: More ways IT partners can grow with Schneider Electric in 2026
Schneider Electric has announced a new Business Development Funds (BDF) performance-driven partner enablement framework for IT partners.
- Announcement details: The BDF framework combines accrual-based MDF with flexible, performance-based rebates, includes a Performance Bonus stream and an EcoStruxure IT Expert Performance Bonus Kicker, and is available to Premier and Elite Regionally Managed Partners; the program also integrates partner funding into a single platform for payment visibility. Published on May 29, 2026, the blog positions this as a new program change rather than a retrospective reference.
- Background and rollout details:Spark Funds remain available across Select, Premier, and Elite tiers (proposal-based with strategic parameters); program aims to address predictability issues highlighted by The Channel Company and Omdia (e.g., standalone marketing, resource gaps, funding barriers) and notes the program earned a 5-Star Rating from The Channel Company.
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How to build a data centre that uses 40% less energy
Schneider Electric outlines five design decisions that enable building data centres with significantly lower PUE and with hyperscaler-ready capabilities.
- Main announcement: Schneider Electric presents five early-stage design decisions (renewable energy / PPA strategy, SF6-free MV switchgear, UPS architecture, integrated digital monitoring, and planning for certifications) that together set the foundation for hyperscaler-ready, low-PUE data centres; examples cited include Start Campus SINES DC (target PUE 1.1, 1.2GW capacity, SIN01/SIN02) and ECO DC (certified PUE 1.22).
- Background and supporting details: The article references Goldman Sachs’ 165% projection in global data centre power demand by 2030, notes Microsoft is investing $10B USD into SINES DC, describes technical outcomes such as Galaxy VX UPS in ECOnversion Mode delivering 99% energy efficiency and 1.15 PUE at full 2N, and explains certification achievements (OCP Ready™ v2 Hyperscale and LEED Gold BD+C v4) and the need to secure PPAs before construction.
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Why software is the new differentiator for data center cooling OEMs
Schneider Electric announces EcoStruxure Foresight early access in 2027 and positions integrated, AI-powered software as the main differentiator for HVAC and pump OEMs building data center cooling systems.
- Main announcement: Schneider Electric is promoting its software portfolio (notably EcoStruxure Automation Expert) for data center cooling integration and states that EcoStruxure Foresight will be available for early access in 2027, offering AI-driven diagnostics, a single intuitive interface, and simplified lifecycle management for monitoring and controlling data center cooling systems.
- Background and details: The article emphasizes pre-programmed, canned software blocks for VSDs, PLCs, and HMIs to reduce development time and integration cost; it targets hyperscalers and large operators and positions the platform as a single pane of glass for cooling and broader data center infrastructure management.
Recent news
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India’s installed power capacity projected to surpass 2,000 gw by 2047, says ENCIS Outlook Report at Bharat Electricity 2026
ENCIS has released its report “India’s Power & Energy Transformation Outlook” at Bharat Electricity, POWERGEN India & Indian Utility Week 2026 in New Delhi.
- The report projects India’s installed electricity capacity will exceed 2,000 GW by 2047, with solar rising from 119 GW to over 1,100 GW and non-fossil sources reaching 53% of today’s 540 GW installed capacity.
- It says peak demand will reach 366 GW by 2032, grid-scale storage will need to increase to 200 GWh by 2030, and total sector investment needs are $0.5 trillion by 2030; the event was held at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi and included government and industry leaders from India and abroad.
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AI Rack Density’s Real Limits: Power, Cooling, Failure Risk
The article analyzes how AI is pushing data center rack density higher and argues that cooling, power delivery, and grid access now set the main limits on AI rack design.
- It cites Uptime Institute data showing modal rack density rose to 11 kW in 2026 from 9 kW in 2025, while Nvidia GB300 NVL72 reaches up to 142 kW per rack and Rubin Ultra NVL576 “Kyber” is specified at roughly 600 kW for H2 2027.
- It says direct-to-chip liquid cooling now handles 100-150 kW per rack and is the dominant liquid method; 800 VDC is shipping with Vera Rubin NVL72, and vendors including Vertiv, Schneider Electric, Eaton, and Delta have commercial 800 VDC offerings slated for H2 2026. It also references Foxconn’s 40 MW Kaohsiung-1 facility in Taiwan, the Open Compute Project Mount Diablo specification finalized in March 2026, and Microsoft/Meta hardware demonstrations in July 2026.
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How Data Centers Are Using AI to Run Cooler and Smarter
The article explains how data center operators are using AI to improve cooling, power use, maintenance, and incident response, and how the industry is moving from pilots toward broader production use.
- Digital Realty uses its OPDaaS platform and other AI tools to analyze sub-second telemetry from power, cooling, and building systems; it is also deploying Phaidra at IAD51 in Northern Virginia and plans to bring about 30 more data centers online by the end of 2026.
- AWS, DPR Construction, and Schneider Electric are also applying AI for network operations, construction planning, robotics, digital twins, DCIM, and service dispatch; analysts say most operators still keep humans in the loop and full autonomy is not yet common.
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Occupancy needs, thermal efficiency boost CRE and building system companies: Q2 earnings roundup
The article provides commentary and analysis on second-quarter 2026 earnings calls from commercial real estate and building systems companies, highlighting strong demand from prime office assets and data centers.
- JLL said office leasing activity reached a post-pandemic high and office-using employment is rising after bottoming in February; CEO Christian Ulbrich said newer buildings are commanding record rents while weaker assets remain vacant.
- Cushman & Wakefield said data center work now makes up a quarter of its integrated facilities management pipeline, while CBRE said more than half of its data center revenue comes from downstream work such as management, refitting, and project work; Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, and Trane also tied sales, orders, and backlog growth to data center demand.
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The Critical Minerals Crisis: AI Data Centers Face Supply Chain Strain
The article analyzes how AI data center growth is increasing pressure on critical mineral supply chains, with copper singled out as the most at-risk material.
- Copper demand for a new hyperscale data center is estimated at 50,000 tons, while a S&P Global report projects a 10 million metric ton shortfall by 2040 if sector expansion does not meaningfully increase.
- Pantheon Electric said in July it unified 21 plants across North America and Europe into a single platform; SiTration said it completed a June trial with BHP in South Australia to recover copper and gold from waste streams, and has worked with Rio Tinto in the US with deployments in Chile planned.
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AI’s volatile power demand is damaging its own data centers
This article explains that AI data centers are causing new reliability and grid-stability problems, based on interviews and reported observations rather than a single new company announcement.
- Power equipment strain: Rapid AI workload swings are reportedly damaging batteries, generators, turbines, cooling systems, transformers, and flywheels; examples include cracked gas-fired turbines at xAI’s Colossus site in Memphis, Tennessee, and batteries needing replacement within weeks or months.
- Grid and project impacts: The story says the issues are delaying or curtailing operations, including a 2.67-gigawatt AI campus in West Texas developed by Joulent Inc. with Chevron Corp., where power delivery is now expected in 2028 instead of 2027; NERC also issued a level-three alert for big data centers to address immediate grid risks by Aug. 3.
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Schneider Electric bolstering energy, design products
Schneider Electric has reported second-quarter 2026 earnings and described new and ongoing efforts to expand its data center and grid-related services. - The company said Q2 2026 revenue was $13.1 billion and first-half revenue was $24.4 billion, with double-digit year-over-year increases; it also highlighted 24.8% organic growth in North America energy management and 23.1% organic year-over-year growth in North America revenue.
- Schneider said it partnered with Kraken in June to help utilities access grid capacity at lower cost and electrify faster, completed its $350 million acquisition of AiDASH, and is working with NVIDIA, ETAP, AVEVA, and Cognite to strengthen data center design capabilities, including an 800-volt data center architecture using solid-state transformers.
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10 Reasons You Cannot Afford to Miss DCF Trends Summit 2026
Data Center Frontier has announced the 2026 Data Center Frontier Trends Summit, a three-day event focused on AI infrastructure execution, to be held August 4–6 at the Hyatt Regency Reston.
- The summit will cover power, site selection, design, density, liquid cooling, investment, supply chains, commissioning, and community acceptance across sessions, roundtables, and tours.
- Featured participants include leaders from EdgeCore, Schneider Electric, Motivair, Digital Realty, Compass Datacenters, NVIDIA, Meta, Open Compute Project, Equinix, Dominion Energy, Vantage Data Centers, NTT Global Data Centers, and Sabey Data Centers.
- The article is a conference announcement and promotional overview, not a report on a completed project or deal.
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TeraWulf’s $19B Anthropic Lease Puts Its Brownfield AI Strategy to the Test
TeraWulf has announced a 20-year, $19 billion lease with Anthropic for approximately 401 MW of critical IT capacity at its Justified Data campus in Hawesville, Kentucky, while also agreeing to sell its 50.1% interest in the 168-MW Abernathy data center joint venture in Texas.
- Anthropic lease: TeraWulf says the agreement is expected to generate about $19 billion in contracted revenue over 20 years; initial capacity is slated for 2H 2027 and the full 401 MW ramp by early 2028.
- Abernathy sale and site details: TeraWulf will sell its 50.1% interest in Abernathy for about $530 million, paid in three installments through April 2027; the Hawesville site includes 250+ buildable acres, multiple high-voltage transmission lines, an energized substation, and direct transmission access.
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Quantum Meets the Data Center: Hybrid Systems Take Off
The article explains a shift in quantum computing toward hybrid quantum-classical infrastructure and cites policy support, vendor roadmaps, and conference remarks rather than a single standalone company announcement.
- The U.S. Department of Commerce announced more than $2 billion in incentives in May 2026 to accelerate quantum commercialization, including quantum manufacturing and utility-scale, fault-tolerant systems; the White House followed with a June 2026 Executive Order on the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation.
- The piece also cites vendor and industry developments: IBM outlined quantum-centric supercomputing in March 2026; Nvidia launched NVQLink at GTC 2026; HPE said in June 2026 it is working with multiple partners on hybrid quantum configurations; and AMD said it is working with OQC and JPMorgan Chase on quantum, AI, and HPC workloads.
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Data Center Frontier Trends Summit 2026 Preview
Data Center Frontier has announced a preview of the Data Center Frontier Trends Summit 2026, a conference focused on AI infrastructure execution, taking place August 4–6 in Reston, Virginia.
- The episode features Matt Vincent speaking with Bill Kleyman of Apolo to preview the summit and its themes, including power-first site selection, liquid cooling, behind-the-meter generation, supply chain execution, and community acceptance.
- The article says the industry has shifted from projection to execution and that announced megawatts are not the same as energized megawatts; it also highlights summit sessions and keynotes involving Rich Miller, Lee Kestler, NVIDIA, Meta, and the Open Compute Project.
- The content is a podcast/article preview and commentary, not a new project announcement; it references the summit agenda and speakers, with the conference set for August 4–6, 2026 in Reston, Virginia.
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Schneider expands its remote-service EcoCare plan to mission-critical systems
Schneider Electric has announced an expansion of its EcoCare remote monitoring service to support customers’ three-phase UPS systems in mission-critical facilities.
- The expanded service uses AI-powered condition-based maintenance to monitor UPS components, analyze wear, aging, temperature, and maintenance history, and help reduce interventions and cost while protecting uptime.
- Schneider says the offering can deliver a 70% reduction in electrical failure risk, up to 50% fewer on-site interventions, and up to 20% operating expense savings; it also cites a 2025 audit and customer examples including Compass Datacenters.
- Schneider says its technicians provide remote or onsite break-fix corrective action, backed by a service level agreement and technical support.
- The article references broader industry context, including a Korn Ferry estimate of an 85.2 million worker global talent shortage by 2030 and Uptime Institute findings on outages and data center power issues.
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Data center planned for Rhondda Cyon Taf, Wales
Maska Group has submitted a planning application to Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council for a new data centre at Mwyndy Cross, Miskin.
- Application details: The proposal is for a single two-storey data centre building measuring 18,220 sqm (196,140 sq ft), plus a three-storey office block, a “servicing/energy plant”, and chillers; the application was filed with Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Borough Council and consultation runs until Monday, July 13.
- Background and gaps: The announcement notes Maska Group (offices in London and Manchester) as the applicant — it appears not to have previously built data centres; the submission does not specify proposed IT capacity or how the site will be powered. Also referenced are other South Wales developments (Newport modular site, Vantage Bridgend campus) and that South Wales is designated an AI Growth Zone by the UK government.
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Data Center Insights 2026 Brings Industry Leaders Together for a Two-Day Look at the AI Infrastructure Era
Endeavor B2B’s Data Center Frontier and partners announced Data Center Insights 2026, a two-day virtual event on July 15–16, 2026 focused on AI-driven demands for data center power, cooling, connectivity, and resilience.
- Main announcement: Data Center Insights 2026 is a two-day virtual event (July 15–16, 2026) produced by Endeavor B2B with partners Data Center Frontier, Cabling Installation & Maintenance, ISE, Lightwave, and SecurityInfoWatch; sessions feature named speakers (e.g., Steven Carlini, Mike Tu, Tom Carroll) and cover AI infrastructure, liquid cooling (1P vs 2P), 800VDC / high-voltage DC, behind-the-meter power strategies, prefabrication, and fiber/400G+ testing.
- Background & program details: The program is organized as cross-functional tracks on cooling, power distribution, connectivity, modular design, and operations; concrete session titles and speakers include “Expert Roundup: The State of the Data Center Industry” (Steven Carlini, Schneider Electric), “Rethinking Data Center Power Distribution: Safe, High-Power DC with Digital Electricity” (Stanley J. Mlyniec, VoltServer), and “Powering the Megawatt Era: The Role of 800VDC in the Future of Data Center Energy” (Mike Tu, NVIDIA; Jim Simonelli, Schneider Electric). The event is virtual (online); registration URL and event program pages are provided in the article.