Pure Data Centres Group and AVK have launched Europe’s first large-scale (110MW) on-site data centre microgrid at Pure DC’s Dublin campus, designed to provide dispatchable power during early development phases before full grid connection.

The three interconnected 30MW energy centres (EC) – starting with EC1 and EC2 by the end of 2026 – blend combined heat and power with heat recovery, battery energy storage system integration, rainwater harvesting and future hydrogen blending to boost resilience amid Ireland’s grid constraints.

The system supports AI-driven data centre demand while paving the way for hybrid grid-renewable operations and potential district heating links.

Fingal Mayor Tom O’Leary hailed the project as climate-friendly innovation aligning with Ireland’s energy transition, while Pure DC executive chairman Gary Wojtaszek said it overcomes Europe’s power bottleneck to unlock AI infrastructure growth. AVK’s Ben Pritchard called it a blueprint for replication in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, where grid upgrades lag behind digital expansion.

The microgrid addresses acute power shortages for hyperscale cloud and AI facilities, using on-site generation as a bridge to national grid integration and renewable scaling. Waste heat recovery and low-carbon fuel readiness position it as a model for the energy-as-strategic-asset approach in the data centre race.