Gareth Williams, Director, UK, India, Middle East and Africa Data Centres and Technology Leader at Arup, argues that 2026 should be the turning point for designing facilities that stabilise grids, steward water, and deliver visible community benefits.

2026 marks a pivotal opportunity to transform how data centres are seen in the public eye. Much has been done to change perceptions from anonymous ‘black boxes’ into strategic assets. Now we must ensure they are seen as positive partners for local energy, water and communities.

That means designing for reciprocity: centres that not only consume, but also stabilise grids, steward scarce water, create jobs, share heat, and leave biodiversity richer than before. This is what I see in briefs for clients, planners and operators alike: putting community benefit at the heart of developments, not as an afterthought.

Energy: from load to flexible, clean, locally useful power

AI-centric workloads are driving volatile, high-density demand, making efficiency gains harder. This is forcing smarter energy strategies, from chip-level liquid cooling and rack-level heat recovery to intelligent workload management.

We will increasingly see data centres act as energy hubs, with co-located renewables, multi-hour batteries, combined heat and power systems, and grid-service participation (frequency response, demand shifting) from day one. Pilot policies already treat facilities as grid allies, including heat-reuse quotas and flexible-access contracts. Operating models will increasingly shift compute to areas with surplus wind and sun — an approach that could also route non-time-critical training to regions with surplus energy.

Baseload energy supply options will mature unevenly. Some operators are testing power purchase agreements linked to small modular reactors to accelerate capacity. Others will combine hydrogen fuel cells for peak resilience with smart microgrids and local renewables. Regardless, the key is to offer two-way benefits: better uptime for operators and measurable support for national grid stability.

Water: design for scarcity, stewardship and circularity

Cooling demand will keep rising with denser compute. This can shift demand in some cases from air to liquid solutions, but the next step is water stewardship by design: closed-loop systems, immersion cooling where appropriate, and zero-freshwater ambitions in stressed catchments.

The Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact points to a water usage efficiency trajectory from ~1.8 L/kWh to 0.4 L/kWh in water-stressed sites by 2040. This is ambitious, but achievable if we switch to non-potable sources and track upstream and downstream impacts.

Practical levers for 2026 include site-level greywater reuse, recycled/industrial ‘brackish’ water sources, rainwater harvesting with sponge landscapes, and seawater cooling at coastal hubs — where environmental permissions and biodiversity management are designed from the outset. Singapore’s Green Data Centre Roadmap shows how regulation can drive cooling tower efficiency upgrades, blowdown recycling and cycles-of-concentration improvements that cut freshwater withdrawals at scale.

Community engagement: early, transparent, beneficial

Engagement still starts too late on many projects. Flip the sequence: begin with benefits, then shape the scheme around agreed outcomes. Practical packages include renewable partnerships that share surplus power; reuse district heat; build biodiversity corridors and accessible green space; offer fibre upgrades that lift local connectivity; and provide STEM education funding and jobs for technicians and landscapers.

Community-first design de-risks approvals and earns trust. These aren’t gestures; they increase value over the life of the campus. This ‘good neighbour’ lens is the fastest way to retire the ‘black box’ image and demonstrate tangible contributions to people’s lives.

Technology: intelligent management, edge resilience, advanced cooling

AI already plays a crucial role in enhancing operations, and it’s only getting smarter. One example is Digital Realty’s collaboration with Ecolab, which identifies real-time operational inefficiencies in cooling systems and recommends improvements to conserve water.

AI-powered management will become the operating system of next-generation facilities, actively orchestrating workloads, power and cooling to maximise efficiency. Intelligent monitoring will drive automation for predictive maintenance, spotting deteriorating components early and scheduling interventions without disrupting SLAs.

At campus scale, hyperscale modular architecture (standardised power and cooling blocks with repeatable controls) will enable capacity expansion and help manage AI surges. And at rack level, advanced liquid cooling systems (direct-to-chip and rear-door heat exchangers) will integrate with smart controls to maximise performance while minimising power and water use.

Materials: low-carbon, modular, designed for circular recovery

Measuring whole-life carbon is vital to managing the sustainability of buildings and critical infrastructure, including data centres. The materials brief should be explicit: certified low-carbon or recycled steel, geopolymer concrete where feasible, and engineered timber for appropriate architectural elements and shading. Envelope design, daylighting and thoughtful material selection can cut operational and embodied impacts while improving working environments.

2026 will see increasing design for disassembly and recovery: standardised rack aisles, traceable components, and procurement that favours reclaimed metals and remanufactured cooling equipment. We should expect to link digital asset plans with physical asset lifecycle strategies, ensuring that refresh cycles trigger material recovery instead of waste.

Acceleration: scale fast, standardise what matters, customise what counts

Large, out-of-town campuses with repeatable, prefabricated/containerised solutions are the only way to match AI demand responsibly. To make this happen, owners and operators will need to standardise the backbone (power blocks, cooling modules, monitoring stacks), then customise for local energy and water contexts.

Reduced bespoke engineering means faster approvals, lower risk, and clearer community commitments (heat and water reuse, biodiversity) baked into template designs. Energy policies that treat campuses as anchor tenants and reward flexibility services will further cut delivery timelines while raising public value.

Conclusion: a systems brief

This is the year to design data centres as reciprocal systems: energy hubs that stabilise grids and disclose 24/7 clean sourcing; water stewards that minimise freshwater draw and close loops; and neighbours that fund skills, share heat, and leave landscapes better than before.

With multidisciplinary teams and a place-first brief, owners and operators can move from compliance to contribution — engineering facilities that are engines of local resilience and global compute. If we build them this way, the sector will be remembered not for what it consumed, but for what it enabled.

This article is part of our DCR Predicts 2026 series. The series has now offficially concluded, you can catch all the articles at the link below.

The Union Budget 2026-27 aims at strengthening clean energy development, clean technology manufacturing, lithium-ion battery production, and tariff rationalisation. There has been a significant increase in budgetary allocations for the Ministry of New and Renewable [...]

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REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of REC Limited, has floated a tender for the development of an interstate transmission system (ISTS). The ISTS will enable the evacuation of 6 GW of [...]

The post REC Limited floats tender for development of ISTS to evacuate 6 GW of solar power  appeared first on Renewable Watch.

JSW Neo Energy Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Energy Limited, has finalised the acquisition of Tidong Power Generation Private Limited from Statkraft IH Holding AS. The enterprise valuation is approximately Rs 17.28 billion. This [...]

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Greenko Group has secured a Rs 48 billion long-term loan from the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID). The loan has a tenure of 25 years and has been arranged to refinance green [...]

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The post Yamaha launches EC-06 electric scooter in India at ₹1,67,600 appeared first at EVreporter on EVreporter.

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt. Ltd. announced the launch of its first electric scooter, the EC-06, priced at ₹1,67,600 (ex-showroom,

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The HSI Joint Venture, comprising HSM Offshore Energy, Smulders, and Iv, has rolled out […]

Renewable generation supplied more than half of Australia’s electricity in the fourth quarter of 2025, driving wholesale power prices down by nearly 50% and coinciding with record battery output, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Coal-fired generation fell 4.6% year on year to a record quarterly low, while gas-fired output dropped 27% to its lowest level in 25 years.

From pv magazine Australia

The last few weeks have been an object lesson in the benefits of the transformation of our energy market, dispelling the myths promulgated by fossil fuel vested interests that increased renewable energy means more expensive power and reduced grid reliability. We have seen exactly the opposite of that: with increased extreme weather events including unprecedented heatwaves and devastating fires in southeast Australia, the grid has proven resilient under surging demand and stress, and now AEMO confirms that increased renewables correlates with a significant decline in wholesale prices.

Grid reliability over the last decade has been significantly improving. The coincidence of extreme weather events and heatwaves has been matched by record production of variable renewable energy (VRE), particularly solar power.

But the big disruption that we’re seeing – which started profoundly in 2025 and is going to be even more consequential in 2026 – is batteries. AEMO reports that battery discharge nearly tripled in the fourth quarter. Behind-the-meter and utility scale battery storage capacity underpins reliable and stable energy supply when demand is high and grid transmission capacity is constrained, supplying power instantly during demand peaks, shifting low cost zero-emissions energy from low-demand to high-demand periods and reducing reliance on peaking gas plants.

The economics are unbeatable. We’ve seen the price of batteries plummet by 90% in the last decade and decline by 50% in the last three years. In a brilliant policy initiative, the federal government capitalised on the economic case to establish Cheaper Home Batteries scheme. We’ve now seen 200,000 batteries installed in just over six months, 4.7 GWh of batteries behind the meter in homes, supporting solar production in which Australia excels as we lead the world in rooftop solar installations. And Treasurer Jim Chalmers upscaled funding of this program to $7.2 billion last month.

But we’re also seeing a profound deployment of battery energy storage systems (BESS) at the utility scale. Australia was the third largest installer of batteries in the world in 2025, behind only the USA and China, and will likely repeat this again in 2026. It was important to see Akaysha Energy commission its second BESS near Brisbane this month, five months ahead of schedule, following its now operational 205 MW /410 MWh Brendale battery, which will play a key role in Queensland’s grid. As we continue this rapid build out into 2027, this allows an even greater share of renewable energy infrastructure to be deployed, leveraging the existing grid infrastructure. 2026 will be another year of record highs for renewables share in Australia. Non-solar households are set to be able to opt-in to benefit from the Solar Sharer three free hours of energy daily from July 2026.

The imperative of grid system reliability means at present we need as many solutions that are economically viable as possible, while focussing on transitioning as quickly as possible to a low-cost, clean, firmed renewables powered energy system. Gas currently plays an important but small and rapidly declining role in stabilising the grid. We are not going to run the Australian grid solely on batteries, but the positive impact of batteries operating and price setting is being seen an increasing percentage of the time, as battery energy densities improve phenomenally and two hour-discharge batteries become four-hour batteries, and even potentially eight-hour duration. This trajectory equates to record low use of prohibitively expensive fossil gas, as the AEMO report shows, with big batteries on the brink of making up a greater share of Australia’s electricity grid than gas in 2027.

Coal power is increasingly unreliable as our end-of-life coal clunker fleet is more and more prone to breakdown. The recent announcement of yet more taxpayer subsidies to extend the life of the Griffin Coal mine in WA, and Origin’s decision to delay the closure of its Eraring coal-power plant in NSW, the country’s largest, are timely reminders of the need to even further accelerate the transition by building replacement generation capacity fast, ahead of coal closures.

And for all the nuclear distractions in the 2025 Federal election, we note China just reported a staggering 446 GW of new renewable energy capacity additions and a world record 174 GWh of batteries in 2025. Nuclear additions of 1.7 GW are a rounding error in comparison.

The key point here is that the heatwaves and fires across southeast Australia and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are evidence of the rapidly rising externalised cost to all of climate change. This is the very reason we must move away from climate-destroying coal and gas at speed and scale, to firmed renewables.

For all the misinformation and fearmongering of fossil fuel vested interests, the energy system transformation is unstoppable and its strengths increasingly evident to all, as the last few weeks have proven.

Authors: Tim Buckley, director of Climate Energy Finance, and AM Jonson, editorial director of Climate Energy Finance

Researchers in Iraq have developed biomimetic leaf vein–inspired fins for photovoltaic panels, with reticulate (RET) venation reducing panel temperature by 33.6 C and boosting efficiency by 18% using passive cooling. Their study combines 3D CFD simulations and electrical evaluations to optimize fin geometry, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional cooling methods.

A research group from Iraq’s Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University has numerically investigated the thermal and electrical performance of PV panels integrated with leaf vein–inspired fins. They have simulated four types of venation used by plants, namely pinnate venation (PIN), reticulate venation (RET), parallel venation along the vertical axis (PAR-I), and parallel venation along the horizontal axis (PAR-II).

“The key novelty of our research lies in introducing and systematically optimizing biomimetic leaf vein–inspired fin geometries as passive heat sinks for photovoltaic panels,” corresponding author Yasser A. Jebbar told pv magazine. “While conventional cooling approaches rely on simple straight fins, fluids, or active systems, our study is among the first to directly translate natural leaf venation patterns—particularly RET structures—into manufacturable backside fins specifically tailored for PV thermal and electrical performance.”

The team combined detailed 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling with electrical efficiency analysis to identify geometries that maximize heat dissipation without additional energy input or water consumption. Next steps include experimental validation of the leaf vein fin designs under real outdoor conditions, particularly in hot climates.

The simulated PV panel consisted of five layers: glass, two ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) layers, a solar cell layer, and a Tedlar layer, with a copper heat sink and fins attached. All fin configurations were initially 0.002 m thick, 0.03 m high, and spaced 0.05 m apart. Panels measured 0.5 m × 0.5 m, with a surrounding air velocity of 1.5 m/s and incident irradiance of 1,000 W/m².

RET fins outperformed all other designs, reducing operating temperature by 33.6 C and increasing electrical efficiency from 12.0% to 14.19% —an 18 % relative improvement—compared to uncooled panels.

“This temperature reduction rivals, and in some cases exceeds, water-based or hybrid cooling methods, despite relying solely on passive air cooling,” Jebbar noted. The study also highlighted the significant impact of fin height, more than spacing or thickness, on cooling performance.

The team further optimized the RET fins, varying spacing from 0.02–0.07 m, height from 0.02–0.07 m, and thickness from 0.002–0.007 m. The optimal geometry—0.03 m spacing, 0.05 m height, and 0.006 m thickness—achieved the maximum 33.6 C temperature reduction and 18% efficiency gain.

The novel cooling technique was described in “Improving Thermal and Electrical Performance of PV Panels Using Leaf Vein Fins,” published in Solar Energy. Researchers from Iraq’s Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, University of Kerbala, and Sweden’s University of Gävle have participated in the study.

UL Solutions has published new technical guidance and a proposed certification pathway for plug-in balcony solar systems, outlining safety risks and design requirements as several US states move to legalise the technology.

From pv magazine USA

UL Solutions has released new design guidance and a proposed certification framework for balcony solar, also known as plug-in PV (PIPV), as US policymakers and manufacturers begin to explore consumer-installed solar systems that connect directly to wall outlets.

In a white paper titled “Interactions of Plug-In PV (PIPV) with Protection of Existing Power Systems,” UL outlines safety considerations for products that allow consumers to plug solar modules into existing residential circuits. The document identifies three primary risk categories: overcurrent protection, touch safety and ground-fault protection.

UL moved quickly to develop a new certification pathway, UL 3700, an Outline of Investigation for Interactive Plug-In PV Equipment and Systems, following the passage of Utah’s balcony solar legislation. Similar bills are now under consideration in other states, including California’s Senate Bill 868.

According to UL, overcurrent protection presents a key challenge because PIPV systems can inject power into branch circuits without being detected by standard circuit breakers. In some scenarios, combined household loads and injected solar power could exceed a circuit’s design limits without triggering protective devices, increasing the risk of overheating conductors and associated components.

UL said potential mitigation measures include dedicated circuits for PIPV systems, solar-specific receptacles, or connection to circuits with oversized conductors.

Touch safety is another concern, as PIPV systems are handled directly by consumers rather than trained electricians. While standard household plugs are well understood as loads, UL notes they have not been evaluated as power sources. The organization also flagged challenges related to inverter behaviour, particularly anti-islanding and grid-response functions that may not be designed for frequent plug-in and unplugging events.

Ground-fault protection was identified as the third major risk area. Because PIPV systems are typically installed outdoors and exposed to weather, UL said interactions with ground-fault circuit interrupters require careful design. Current electrical code requires outdoor receptacles to be on dedicated branch circuits, which may necessitate new outlet designs or dedicated connections for PIPV systems.

Ken Boyce, vice president of principal engineering at UL Solutions, said the organisation’s role is to evaluate safety outcomes rather than commercial viability. As of mid-January, he said UL was not aware of any PIPV products that had completed certification under UL 3700, noting that the outline was only released in mid-December.

To continue reading, please visit our pv magazine USA website. 

UNSW researchers identified a new damp-heat degradation mechanism in TOPCon modules with laser-fired contacts, driven primarily by rear-side recombination and open-circuit voltage loss rather than series-resistance increase. The study highlights that magnesium in white EVA encapsulants accelerates degradation, guiding improved encapsulant and backsheet selection for more reliable modules in humid environments.

A research team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has identifed a new damp heat-induced degradation pathway in TOPCon modules fabricated with laser-assisted fired contacts.

“Unlike earlier studies dominated by series-resistance increase, the primary degradation driver here is a reduction in open-circuit voltage, linked to enhanced rear-side recombination,” the research's lead author, Bram Hoex, told pv magazine. “The new degradation mechanism emerged under extended damp-heat (DH) exposure.”

The scientists conducted their analysis on 182 mm × 182 mm TOPCon cells fabricated in 2024 with laser-assisted firing.

The TOPCon solar cells employed a boron-doped p⁺ emitter, along with a front-side passivation stack consisting of unintentionally grown silicon dioxide (SiOₓ), aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃), and hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiNₓ:H), capped with a screen-printed H-pattern silver (Ag) contact grid. On the rear side, the structure comprised a SiO₂/phosphorus-doped n⁺ polycrystalline silicon/SiNₓ:H stack, also contacted by a screen-printed H-pattern Ag grid.

The researchers encapsulated the cells with different bill of materials (BOMs): two types of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA); two types of polyolefin elastomer (POE); and one type of EVA-POE-EVA (EPE). They also used commercial coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) composite (CPC) backsheets.

“The mini modules were laminated at 153 C for 8 min under standard industrial lamination conditions,” the academics explained. “All modules underwent DH test at 85 C and 85% relative humidity (RH) in an ASLi climate chamber for up to 2,000 h to study humidity-induced failures.

The tests showed that maximum power losses ranged from 6% to 16%, with the difference among these values depending strongly on the encapsulation BOM.

“The modules with POE on both sides were the most stable at around 8%, while those using white EVA on the rear side, especially in combination with EPE, showed the largest losses at around 16%,” said Hoex. “The primary driver of the degradation was a reduction in open-circuit voltage rather than the increased series resistance after DH testing, which diverges from previous findings that predominantly attributed DH-induced degradation to metallisation corrosion.”

The research team explained that higher levels of degradation were attributable to additives containing magnesium (Mg) in white EVA, which migrate under DH, hydrate, and create an alkaline micro-environment. “This alkaline chemistry corrodes the rear SiNx passivation layer, increases interfacial hydrogen concentration, induces local pinhole-like defects, and raises dark saturation current, ultimately reducing open-circuit voltage,” Hoex emphasized.

The scientists also explained that, although Mg in white EVA encapsulants and its role in acetic acid–induced degradation was previously reported, the effect of MgO on performance degradation in TOPCon modules was not explicitly studied.

Their findings are available in the paper “A novel damp heat-induced failure mechanism in PV modules (with case study in TOPCon),”  published in Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells.

“We hope this work helps refine encapsulant and BOM selection strategies for next-generation TOPCon modules, particularly for humid-climate deployment,” Hoex concluded. “It provides clear guidance for controlling Mg content in rear encapsulants and optimising rear-side passivation robustness. The mechanistic insights from this study have already informed upstream design changes, substantially reducing risk in commercial modules.”

Other research by UNSW showed the impact of POE encapsulants in TOPCon module corrosion, soldering flux on TOPCon solar cell performance, degradation mechanisms of industrial TOPCon solar modules encapsulated with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) under accelerated damp-heat conditions, as well as the vulnerability of TOPCon solar cells to contact corrosion and three types of TOPCon solar module failures that were never detected in PERC panels.

Furthermore, UNSW scientists investigated sodium-induced degradation of TOPCon solar cells under damp-heat exposure, the role of ‘hidden contaminants’ in the degradation of both TOPCon and heterojunction devices, and the impact of electron irradiation on PERC, TOPCon solar cell performance.

More recently, another UNSW rsearch team developed an experimentally validated model linking UV-induced degradation in TOPCon solar cells to hydrogen transport, charge trapping, and permanent structural changes in the passivation stack.

JIVO Energy has installed Sierra Leone's first hybrid off-grid energy system in Moyamba Town, enhancing rural electrification. Funded by the World Bank and managed by UNOPS, the system combines solar, battery storage, and diesel generators to provide reliable electricity, promoting socio-economic development and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

The post JIVO Energy Commissions Sierra Leone’s First Hybrid Off-Grid Power System in Moyamba appeared first on SolarQuarter.

The GCCIA has launched a direct electricity interconnection project with Oman, enhancing regional energy integration and grid reliability. The US$700 million initiative will improve emergency support and renewable energy integration. Key officials emphasized its role in economic growth and stability while addressing increased electricity demand across Gulf states.

The post GCC Begins Construction of 400 kV Cross-Border Grid Interconnection Linking Oman to Regional Power Network appeared first on SolarQuarter.

Fraunhofer IFAM has developed a dynamic impedance spectroscopy method for real-time battery diagnostics, allowing continuous monitoring during operation. This innovative approach enhances performance, safety, and lifespan by enabling precise, instant detection of internal issues and optimising charging processes. Its applications extend across electric vehicles, renewable energy, and critical power systems.

The post Real-Time Battery Impedance Monitoring: A Breakthrough in Safety, Performance, and Lifespan appeared first on SolarQuarter.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy will present its integrated power and water governance framework at the World Governments Summit 2026 in Dubai, focusing on regulatory approaches that enhance resilience and sustainability. Key officials will engage in discussions on global water governance and energy efficiency, promoting Abu Dhabi as a model for sustainable utility practices.

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In 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development significantly boosted its investments in Moldova, committing €508 million to 19 projects. This surge reflects a deepening partnership aimed at supporting Moldova’s EU integration and enhancing its energy security, infrastructure, and private sector competitiveness amidst ongoing reforms and economic challenges.

The post EBRD Marks One Of Its Most Active Years In Moldova With €508M For 19 Projects, Strengthening Energy Independence, Roads And MSMEs Amid EU Accession Push appeared first on SolarQuarter.

India’s 2026 Union Budget promotes the energy storage sector by offering fiscal incentives for lithium-ion battery manufacturing. The extension of customs duty exemptions for related equipment aims to reduce production costs, improve viability, and attract investments. This policy supports renewable energy integration and positions India as a competitive hub in battery technology.

The post Union Budget 2026 Strengthens India’s Grid Storage Ecosystem with Targeted Push for Lithium-Ion BESS Manufacturing appeared first on SolarQuarter.

NTPC Limited has announced a fresh addition to its renewable energy portfolio with the commissioning of a new solar power capacity in Gujarat. In a formal disclosure dated January 30, […]

The post NTPC Commissions 210 MW First Phase Of 1.2 GW Khavda-II Solar Project In Gujarat appeared first on SolarQuarter.

The Union Budget 2026–27 presents a clear and steady roadmap for India’s economic growth with a strong focus on self-reliance, infrastructure expansion, and clean energy transition. The overall tone of […]

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Fujiyama Power Systems Limited reported significant financial growth for Q3 FY26 and the nine-month period ending December 31, 2025. Revenue surged by 73.8% YoY to Rs. 5,885 million, with PAT increasing 124.3% YoY to Rs. 673 million. The company expanded its manufacturing and distribution networks, anticipating continued growth in India's solar market.

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