Explore the Agenda
Power-Led Planning, Energy Strategy & Delivery
This Pre-Conference Workshop Day is designed for developers, designers and delivery leaders seeking a deeper, more practical understanding of how power availability, grid access and energy strategy are now determining where and how data centers can be delivered across Europe.
European data center electricity demand is forecast to nearly double to around 36GW by 2030, driven largely by AI workloads and high density compute, placing unprecedented strain on already congested grids. In established FLAP-D markets, grid connection lead times of 7–10 years now routinely exceed construction timelines, fundamentally reshaping site selection and delivery strategy. At the same time, AI is pushing rack densities beyond 30–100kW today, accelerating the move toward phased power delivery and hybrid energy solutions.
Against this backdrop, site viability, energy strategy and buildability decisions must now be made earlier in the development cycle, often with incomplete or conditional grid commitments. Join this workshop to connect with engineering, energy and delivery experts to move beyond high level ambition and focus on what can actually be built, powered and scaled in Europe’s constrained markets.
9:00 am Registration & Networking Breakfast
Workshop A
10:00 am Understanding Grid Constraints & Power Access to Determine Where Data Centers Can Be Built
- Exploring how grid constraints, AI-driven demand growth and regional infrastructure limits are reshaping where data centers can realistically be developed to avoid nonviable sites and stalled projects
- Assessing how grid connection queues, regulatory complexity and speculative applications impact project timelines to enable more accurate feasibility assessments in congested European markets
- Aligning site selection and development strategies with realistic power delivery horizons to improve confidence in long-term capacity planning and investment decisions
Why this workshop matters
In Europe’s most established markets, grid access has become the biggest determinant of project success. In hubs such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Dublin, data centers already account for a significant share of local electricity demand, creating growing pressure on regulators and connection approvals. This session gives teams a practical understanding of grid systems, connection queues and regulatory processes, while creating opportunities to network with peers navigating similar power and permitting challenges across Europe’s leading markets.
12:00 pm Networking Lunch Break
Workshop B
1:00 pm Rethinking Energy Solutions & Hybrid Power Strategies to Unlock Deliverable Growth in Constrained Markets
- Evaluating realistic energy strategies beyond gird-only connections, including renewables, battery storage and onsite generation, to unlock viable sources in constrained markets
- Understanding when and how hybrid power stacks create genuine development advantages to reduce reliance on a single power source while maintaining resilience
- Distinguishing between viable near-term solutions from speculative technologies to help teams focus capital and effort on strategies that can be delivered today
Why this workshop matters
With European data center power demand expected to rise sharply over the next decade, hybrid energy solutions are becoming critical development enablers. Yet poorly structured strategies can increase cost and complexity without improving delivery outcomes. This workshop cuts through the noise with real-world case studies, peer discussion and networking, helping attendees understand when hybrid power solutions unlock projects and when they simply transfer risk.
3:00 pm Afternoon Refreshments
Workshop C
3:30 pm Translating Power Strategy Into Buildable Infrastructure to Design & Deliver Data Centers That Operate & Scale for AI Workloads
- Designing facility architectures that can operate under phased or partial power availability to enable projects to progress while additional capacity is secured
- Integrating grid connections, onsite generation and energy storage into coherent, buildable power architectures to balance reliability, redundance and constructability
- Planning infrastructure that can scale safely with AI-driven load growth to ensure power systems support future density increases without requiring fundamental redesign
Why this workshop matters
Many projects fail not because the power strategy is wrong, but because it cannot be translated into buildable, operable infrastructure. As AI-focused data center electricity demand accelerates, electrical systems must support phased delivery, fluctuating loads and rapid density growth without compromising uptime. This workshop bridges strategy and execution while giving delivery teams the chance to exchange lessons learned, benchmark approaches and build relationships with industry leaders tackling similar deployment challenges.