PAUL HOOD
DATA CENTRE STRATEGY
As data centres enter a new year of rising power demands, highdensity AI workloads and sustainability expectations, the current engineering decisions will determine the resiliency of future digital infrastructures.
Paul Hood, Chief Operating Officer at AVK-SEG( AVK), explains how operators are navigating this shift – from rethinking backup power strategies to building microgrids that can operate independently of constrained national networks.
Q. AS DATA CENTRES BECOME MORE POWER-DENSE AND OPERATIONALLY COMPLEX, WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST ENGINEERING CHALLENGES OPERATORS FACE?
» The biggest challenge in this industry for engineering is the growing gap between the digital and energy transitions. AI-focused growth is driving demand faster than Europe’ s power systems can effectively adapt to. Traditional grid infrastructures weren’ t designed primarily for high-density AI applications that require quick updates compared to previous IT, so we are increasingly seeing operators facing capacity challenges before construction starts.
The engineering response to the increased strain on the grid and operational limits in delivering power is a need for a redesign. By adopting alternatives like microgrids and utilising dispatchable power, it can operate
PAUL HOOD
TITLE: COO COMPANY: AVK-SEG
INDUSTRY: DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE – POWER AND DATA CENTRES
Paul Hood is the Chief Operating Officer at AVK, bringing over three decades of leadership experience in engineering operations, critical infrastructure and large-scale facilities management across the financial services sector.
independently and later on integrate with the grid, which means designing for fuel flexibility and emissions compliance from the beginning.
This challenge looks at how we build an energy system that remains resilient and adaptable while maintaining environmental security, rather than just powering a data centre.
Q. HOW ARE SERVICE, MAINTENANCE AND ASSET- LIFECYCLE STRATEGIES EVOLVING IN AN ERA OF MICROGRIDS, HYBRID GENERATION AND HIGHER REDUNDANCY REQUIREMENTS?
» The shift to microgrids and alternative power strategies has fundamentally changed
98 February 2026