Powering data centres through the energy transition

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As the world becomes increasingly AI-driven, energy intensive data centres are putting increased strain on already overburdened power grids worldwide.

Studies predict that data centre energy requirements will double by 2030. Data centre operators are therefore looking for off-grid alternatives to supply their own energy, in a way that is both sustainable and reliable.

Rolls-Royce has the most comprehensive portfolio for powering data centres – from diesel generators to small modular reactors (SMR). Having served the hyperscale data centre market for nearly two decades, we have the expertise and the products to help data centre operators produce the power they need.

The power of self-generation

For those looking to produce their own self-sufficient source of power, a combination of renewables and power generator systems like natural gas engine power plants can enable reliable, continuous electricity.

They can also be used to feed energy into the grid supporting other local infrastructure.

Supporting critical systems in the era of AI

Our mtu emergency power solutions based on diesel and gas gensets as well as dynamic UPS Kinetic PowerPacks are already being used worldwide to protect safety-critical infrastructure.

With more than 10 GW of installed capacity in mtu emergency power gensets, we are one of the three largest suppliers of emergency power systems for the rapidly growing global data centre market. This makes us the only major and experienced player in the field of energy systems for data centres that offers diesel and gas gensets as well as high-power range dynamic UPS systems.

At the heart of this infrastructure is mtu EnergetIQ – our energy management system ensuring the efficient and safe control of energy systems.

Our proven mtu Series 4000 gas gensets can be used to supply power to data centres at full load within just 120 seconds. The short supply gap is closed by an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) such as batteries or kinetic mass storage. And for the 60Hz market, we’ll be offering gas gensets from 2026 that will reach full power even faster – in 45 seconds – with a higher power output than our current gas gensets.

Enabling progress

Our mtu diesel engines are designed to support our customers through the energy transition. Many of our engines are approved for use with sustainable fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) – enabling significant emissions reduction without any reduction in performance. mtu exhaust gas aftertreatment systems also help keep local emissions such as nitrogen oxide and particulates to an absolute minimum.

Additionally, operators can extend their test runs from once a month to once every three months. This not only helps them reduce emissions but also lowers operating costs.

We are also the first engine manufacturer to develop certified environmental product declarations for emergency power generators. This allows us to verify the environmental footprint of our mtu systems, set new standards for environmental transparency, and support customers in reducing their carbon footprint.

Future ready: Power solutions for the data centres of tomorrow

Over the next decade, data centre operators will continue to prioritise efficiency, reliability and lower-impact energy solutions alongside their growing interest in self-generation to boost resilience.

Natural gas will remain an important, cost-effective bridge fuel in helping close the gap between grid supply and rising demand. Longer term, SMRs are expected to emerge as a stable, low-carbon baseload option, complemented by robust backup systems like diesel and gas generators.

It's clear that no single technology will enable this transition alone. To support this evolving landscape, we’re continuing to expand and modernise our power generation portfolio and progressing our SMR programme at pace, with deployments planned in the UK and Czech Republic and regulatory processes underway in the UK and US.

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