The REA has launched a Data Centre Coalition to tackle the soaring energy demands of the fast-expanding digital economy.
The move lands as AI and data centres surge up the government agenda with more than £10bn already poured into London alone.
The launch event put one issue front and centre: data centres cannot scale without clean power that arrives faster than the grid can currently deliver.
Speakers warned that grid queues slow planning and unclear environmental rules threaten the growth ministers are banking on to drive the next wave of investment.
The REA says the Coalition gives industry a single voice to shape policy at a time when bankable low-carbon power models are still missing.
Its mission is to build investable procurement structures, push for a national planning framework and give regulators evidence that reflects the real demands of AI infrastructure.
REA Chief Executive Trevor Hutchings told the room: “The UK is in a global race to secure data centre investment and to meet the sector’s rapidly growing energy demand. Our Data Centre Coalition provides the collective strength to engage directly at the highest levels of government.”
Ofgem delivered the keynote with regulators outlining how they plan to respond to the energy load coming from digital and AI growth. Founding members then joined roundtables to set early priorities for the next two years.
Membership offers direct influence on national policy early ministerial access and visibility across high-profile publications as the REA pushes to anchor clean competitive digital infrastructure in the UK.
REA puts data at heart of energy appeared first on Energy Live News.