National Grid and Emerald AI have announced a strategic partnership aimed at showing how AI-powered data centres can actively support the UK electricity grid. The collaboration will showcase Emerald Conductor, an AI system that mediates between data centres and the transmission network, dynamically adjusting energy consumption to match grid capacity. The live demonstration is scheduled for late 2025.
Making the Grid Smarter
Electricity networks are built with redundancy to maintain reliability, but peak demand—on hot summer days or cold winter nights—limits available capacity for additional infrastructure. Emerald Conductor leverages AI to temporarily modulate computing workloads during these peak periods, allowing data centres to flexibly align with grid needs without compromising performance.
“This groundbreaking trial demonstrates how innovative technologies can help us optimise the grid, enable increased investment in advanced computing, and deliver real benefits to the wider UK economy,” said Steve Smith, Chief Strategy and Regulation Officer at National Grid. “Unlocking flexible energy management is essential for connecting more data centres efficiently.”
AI Factories as Grid Assets
Emerald AI’s Founder and CEO, Varun Sivaram, added: “This partnership is about showing that AI infrastructure doesn’t have to be a burden on the grid—it can be a critical asset. Together with National Grid, we’re proving that flexible AI Factories can accelerate AI innovation in the UK while enhancing reliability and affordability for everyone connected to the grid.”
The demonstration will utilize cutting-edge NVIDIA GPUs and showcase a variety of AI workloads that can be adjusted in real time. By scaling computing activity up or down based on grid stress, the project aims to prove that AI data centres can act as responsive partners to the electricity network.
Beyond the Demo: Setting Standards for AI Flexibility
In addition to the demonstration, National Grid Partners has made a strategic investment in Emerald AI. The partnership will also focus on:
- Developing technical standards for flexible AI data centres.
- Collaborating with customers to deploy this capability across UK data centres.
- Fostering industry-wide adoption through initiatives like the NextGrid Alliance.
By demonstrating AI-driven flexibility, National Grid and Emerald AI are positioning the UK as a global leader in both AI infrastructure and smart energy management. The initiative shows how data centres can support grid reliability, reduce costs, and accelerate the adoption of clean energy—while fueling the nation’s growing digital economy.
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