en.Wedoany.com Reported - UK waste-to-energy operator Viridor Energy has partnered with renewable energy company Rivington Energy to develop a cluster of data centers near Viridor's waste-to-energy facilities, with a total capacity of up to 200MW, capable of supporting artificial intelligence workloads.
Under the agreement, Rivington Energy will build data centers in locations including Bristol, Greater London, Oxfordshire, and Fife. The first project is located in Avonmouth, Bristol, and has recently been submitted to the local council for planning review. The data center is designed with a capacity of 40MW and can accommodate high-density racks with power up to 144kW. The company states that this design can support AI workloads. If planning permission is granted, the facility is expected to become operational in 2027.
Andrew Newman, Director of Rivington Energy, stated that the key to the partnership is sourcing electricity directly from Viridor's waste-to-energy facilities, rather than relying on the grid. He believes this approach secures reliable long-term power supply while effectively utilizing energy from non-recyclable residual waste, helping to enhance cost competitiveness and maintain operational flexibility.
Pierre Dorel, Managing Director of Viridor Energy, added that this collaboration aligns with Viridor's strategy to maximize the long-term value of its waste-to-energy assets. By siting data centers on power plant premises, it provides direct, reliable long-term power for critical digital infrastructure, while fully utilizing the energy generated during operations.
Viridor currently operates the UK's largest fleet of waste-to-energy facilities, with 12 operational plants producing over 2,100 GWh of baseload electricity annually. Rivington Energy, headquartered in London, is a company focused on sustainable energy projects and has built over 1 GW of solar and battery storage projects through its development arm, Renewable Connections. In May this year, the company also announced plans to build a data center campus co-located with a solar farm in Lincolnshire.
Waste-to-energy plants generate electricity and heat by incinerating non-recyclable household and commercial waste at high temperatures. Although such facilities are often classified as green energy, they emit carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides during actual operation. Modern facilities use advanced filtration systems to capture most pollutants and reduce emissions. Supporters argue that waste-to-energy is more environmentally friendly than direct landfill disposal.
Several data center and telecom operators have identified waste-to-energy as a potential energy source for their facilities. In the UK, Ark Data Centres was among the first to sign a supply agreement with a waste-to-energy plant, connecting directly via a dedicated line to the London Energy Edmonton EcoPark. DCD has toured the waste-to-energy facility and the adjacent data center.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
