THE DATA CENTRE INTERVIEW
In 2026, the data centre industry finds itself caught between two pressures that are pulling it in opposite directions. Demand for compute capacity – driven by AI workloads that are more powerintensive than anything designed for – is accelerating. At the same time, utilities and regulators are scrutinising the grid impact of largescale facilities as never before. For operators, the question is no longer simply how to build fast, but how to build responsibly.
Giampiero Frisio, President of the Electrification Business Area at ABB, believes that framing the debate as a conflict misses the point.“ The biggest challenge today is growing quickly while still being responsible to the local community,” he says.“ People often think of data centres as energy-hungry buildings that strain the power grid. However, new AI factories can actually help the grid instead of hurting it.”
Giampiero identifies three interlocking pillars that define this approach. The first is radical efficiency – reducing the energy lost in the conversion steps between grid power and compute load. The second is distributed energy and on-site generation, enabling facilities to draw less from the utility at peak times. The third is data-driven engagement with regulators, using digital simulation to demonstrate that high-power loads will not compromise local grid stability.
“ AI factories can actually help the grid instead of hurting it”
Giampiero Frisio President of the Electrification Business Area ABB
20 June 2026