REA launches the Data Centre Coalition

The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has officially launched its Data Centre Coalition at an event hosted at Burges Salmon. The Coalition is designed to unlock clean, scalable power for UK data centres and shape the policy environment around this rapidly expanding sector – one that has already attracted over £10 billion of investment in London alone.

The Coalition launch arrives at a critical time, with the UK Government positioning AI and data centres at the heart of national economic growth.

Discussions at the launch event focused on unlocking scalable clean energy for data centres and AI infrastructure, with expert panels examining low-carbon capacity delivery, policy and pricing reform. Speakers highlighted that long grid queues, slow planning and concern around environmental impacts risk slowing delivery. Scalable, bankable models for clean power procurement remain lacking – and this is where REA’s Data Centre Coalition comes in.

The Coalition will give industry a unified voice and drive action. It will develop investable clean-power models, design an integrated national framework for planning, create policy certainty, and provide evidence-based input to Government and regulators to enable clean, competitive growth in the UK’s digital infrastructure sector.

Speaking at the launch event, REA Chief Executive Trevor Hutchings said: 

“On behalf of our 400 members, we felt it was essential to step forward at this pivotal moment. The UK is in a global race to secure data centre investment, and to meet the sector’s rapidly growing energy demand alongside addressing wider sustainability challenges. Our Data Centre Coalition provides the collective strength to engage directly at the highest levels of Government. It ensures that decisions are informed by the full expertise and evidence from the organisations delivering the infrastructure on which the UK’s digital and economic ambitions depend.”

Following Hutchings’ remarks, an Ofgem representative delivered the keynote address, outlining how regulators are responding to the energy demands of digital and AI infrastructure, followed by industry roundtables and insights from founding members.

About the REA Data Centre Coalition

To give industry a unified voice and to shape the policy, regulatory and commercial frameworks ahead, the REA is launching a two-year Data Centre Coalition: Powering Data Centre Growth.

Founding members: enfinium, Greenscale, Apatura, Clarke Energy.

Founding partners will:

• Influence national policy at the point decisions are being made.
• Access early dialogue with ministers, regulators and investors.
• Gain visibility through high-profile events and publications.
• Help build the models that will underpin UK digital competitiveness.

The message is simple: if you are serious about powering data-centre growth with clean, scalable energy, email Matt Parry (mparry@r-e-a.net) or Rollo Maschietto (rmaschietto@r-e-a.net) to join the Coalition.

r-e-a.net