Europe’s first privately powered data centre operating on an on-site microgrid has begun operations in Dublin, Ireland, marking a new approach to powering energy-intensive digital infrastructure. 

The facility, operated by Pure Data Centres Group, is located in West Dublin and runs independently from Ireland’s national electricity grid. Instead of relying on public power networks, the site is powered by a dedicated microgrid system developed by AVK. 

The project represents an investment of approximately $1.2 billion and is designed to deliver 110 MW of data centre capacity, equivalent to the electricity demand of roughly 100,000 homes. 

According to Gary Wojtaszek, Executive Chairman and interim CEO of Pure Data Centres Group, the facility operates as a self-generated data centre, relying entirely on its own power generation and fuel supply. 

The microgrid currently operates on natural gas, but the system has been designed with flexibility to transition to alternative fuels such as biomethane and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in the future. 

Microgrid-powered data centres already exist in the United States, but this is the first deployment of such a system in Europe. 

“This project demonstrates how carefully designed onsite energy infrastructure can complement national energy planning frameworks,” said Ben Pritchard, CEO of AVK. 

Ireland has emerged as one of Europe’s major data centre hubs, although the sector’s rapid growth has raised concerns about electricity demand and grid capacity. Data centres accounted for approximately 22% of Ireland’s total electricity consumption in 2024, compared with 5% in 2015, and projections suggest the share could reach nearly one-third of national electricity demand by 2030. 

Industry analysts say projects like the Dublin facility could illustrate how on-site power generation and microgrids may help support future AI and cloud infrastructure while reducing pressure on national transmission networks. 

Source: cnbctv18.com