National Grid and Emerald AI have announced a strategic partnership to demonstrate how AI data centres can collaborate with the transmission network to adjust energy use in real time, optimizing existing capacity to meet the UK's expanding digital demands. The collaboration will feature a live demonstration of Emerald Conductor, an AI-powered system that serves as a smart intermediary between the grid and data centres, enabling flexible energy demand management. Scheduled for late 2025, the trial will utilize advanced NVIDIA GPUs to dynamically modify energy consumption and bolster grid stability.
The electricity transmission network incorporates redundancy for reliable service, with available capacity outside peak periods such as hot summer days or cold winter storms. This allows potential connections for new data centres if they can reduce energy usage during high-demand times. The partnership positions the UK as a leader in AI by building confidence in data centres' ability to lower consumption when needed, reducing the requirement for new infrastructure.
By enhancing the use of current electricity infrastructure, National Grid, in coordination with the National Energy System Operator, can more effectively handle increasing demand, draw investment in advanced computing, and aid the UK's shift to an efficient, flexible energy system. The demonstration will illustrate real-time adjustments for various AI workloads, proving data centres can respond to grid pressures while upholding performance for critical tasks.
In addition to the partnership, National Grid Partners has invested strategically in Emerald AI. Steve Smith, Chief Strategy and Regulation Officer at National Grid said: "As the UK's digital economy grows, unlocking new ways to flexibly manage energy use is essential for connecting more data centres to our network efficiently. This groundbreaking trial with Emerald AI 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. We're excited to collaborate with Emerald AI and other partners as we progress this project, exploring how smart solutions can support economic growth and the nation's future connectivity needs." Varun Sivaram, Founder and CEO of Emerald AI said: "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." "AI infrastructure doesn't have to be a burden on the grid—it can be a critical asset." - Emerald AI CEO Varun Sivaram
This partnership extends beyond the demonstration to develop technical standards for AI data centre flexibility, engage customers for implementation across UK data centres, and promote industry-wide efforts through the NextGrid Alliance. It establishes a model for integrating AI with energy infrastructure, demonstrating how data centres can improve grid reliability, reduce costs, and advance clean energy goals.
National Grid lies at the heart of a transforming energy system, spanning the UK and the US. Our businesses supply gas and electricity, safely, reliably and efficiently to millions of customers and communities. But we also drive change through engineering innovation and by incubating new ideas with the power to revolutionise our industry. National Grid is pioneering ways to decarbonise the energy system including delivering The Great Grid Upgrade – the largest overhaul of the UK grid in generations - and building the Upstate Upgrade, the largest investment in New York's electricity transmission network for over a century. As one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world, National Grid is at the centre of a clean, fair and affordable energy future, and is one of the FTSE's largest investors in the energy transition.
Emerald AI is the pioneer in AI-driven compute orchestration, transforming energy-intensive data centers into intelligent grid assets. Its AI-powered Conductor platform enables data centers to dynamically adjust power consumption by orchestrating AI workloads, such as training, fine-tuning, and inference, across networks of data centers in real-time.
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