Aligning Grids, Data Centres & the AI Economy

12 October 2027 | Closed-Door Forum

The Grid & AI Infrastructure Forum is an exclusive, one-day executive forum bringing together grid operators, regulators, utilities, hyperscalers, data centre developers and energy infrastructure providers to address one of Europe's most pressing challenges: delivering reliable, affordable and scalable power for the AI economy.

As AI-driven electricity demand accelerates, the forum explores how the energy and digital infrastructure sectors can strengthen grid–data centre partnerships, reform large-load connections and accelerate power delivery. Through executive discussions and real-world case studies, key topics include grid investment and cost sharing, campus microgrids, flexible AI computing and coordinated infrastructure planning.

Designed to bridge grid capacity and AI infrastructure growth, the forum provides a strategic platform to align policy, power and project delivery, foster cross-industry partnerships and accelerate the journey from grid connection to first power, sustainably and at scale.

09:00 - 09:10

(10 mins)

Welcome Address by Conference Chair

09:10 - 10:00
(50mins)

[Opening Panel] Data Centres and the Grid: From Connection Requests to Long-Term Partnership

What credible load forecasts and project maturity evidence should developers provide to grid operators
What shared planning mechanisms reduce speculative queues and wasted network investment
What does a balanced long-term utility–data centre partnership look like in practice

10:00 - 10:50
(50mins)

[Connection & Regulation Panel] Who Gets the Grid, and Who Pays for It? Reforming Europe's Large-Load Connections

How should large-load queues rank project readiness, milestones, deposits and flexibility
Who funds grid upgrades and how should cost risks be shared fairly among users
What connection agreements can release speculative capacity and speed viable projects

Coffee Break & Networking

11:20 - 11:40
(20mins)

[Reserved for Sponsor]

11:40 - 12:30
(50mins)

[Microgrids Panel] Microgrids and the Grid: From Stopgap Power to Campus Infrastructure

How campus microgrids are moving from bridge power while waiting for connection to permanent infrastructure that runs alongside the grid
What Europe’s first microgrid-powered data centre in Dublin shows about scale, technology mix and the line between islanded and grid-tied operation
How financing, permitting and low-carbon fuel pathways can make microgrids a long-term grid resource rather than a grid rival

Luncheon

14:00 - 14:40
(40mins)

[Case Study Panel] Connection in Practice: Lessons from Recent Data Centre Projects

Which choices accelerated or delayed recent European data centre connections
What did developers and grid operators learn from phased energisation and early-load disclosure
How did brownfield grid assets, onsite energy or flexible arrangements change project outcomes

14:40 - 15:30
(50mins)

[Compute–Power Synergy Panel] Compute and the Grid: From Fixed Load to Dispatchable Resource

Which AI workloads, from training and batch inference to non-critical loads, can flex and by how much without breaking service commitments
How flexible connection agreements, onsite batteries and compute scheduling can trade limited curtailment for earlier connection and paid grid services
What grid operators need before they can rely on data centre flexibility, from ramp-rate and ride-through rules to market products and 24/7 carbon-free matching

15:30 - 15:50
(20mins)

[Reserved for Sponsor]

15:50 - 16:40
(50mins)

[Closing Panel] From Connection Offer to First Power: Planning and Delivering the Next Gigawatt

How earlier sharing of pipeline and load data between authorities, grid operators and developers can steer projects to sites where power can be delivered
How anticipatory grid investment, brownfield sites and co-location with generation can shorten time to power without stranding assets
How connection works, grid upgrades and onsite construction can run in parallel, with phased energisation and interim onsite power built into connection agreements

16:40 - 16:50
(20mins)

Welcome Address by Conference Chair

[Opening Panel] Data Centres and the Grid: From Connection Requests to Long-Term Partnership

What credible load forecasts and project maturity evidence should developers provide to grid operators

What shared planning mechanisms reduce speculative queues and wasted network investment

What does a balanced long-term utility–data centre partnership look like in practice

[Connection & Regulation Panel] Who Gets the Grid, and Who Pays for It? Reforming Europe's Large-Load Connections

How should large-load queues rank project readiness, milestones, deposits and flexibility

Who funds grid upgrades and how should cost risks be shared fairly among users

What connection agreements can release speculative capacity and speed viable projects

Coffee Break & Networking

[Reserved for Sponsor]

[Microgrids Panel] Microgrids and the Grid: From Stopgap Power to Campus Infrastructure

How campus microgrids are moving from bridge power while waiting for connection to permanent infrastructure that runs alongside the grid

What Europe’s first microgrid-powered data centre in Dublin shows about scale, technology mix and the line between islanded and grid-tied operation

How financing, permitting and low-carbon fuel pathways can make microgrids a long-term grid resource rather than a grid rival

Luncheon

[Case Study Panel] Connection in Practice: Lessons from Recent Data Centre Projects

Which choices accelerated or delayed recent European data centre connections

What did developers and grid operators learn from phased energisation and early-load disclosure

How did brownfield grid assets, onsite energy or flexible arrangements change project outcomes

[Compute–Power Synergy Panel] Compute and the Grid: From Fixed Load to Dispatchable Resource

Which AI workloads, from training and batch inference to non-critical loads, can flex and by how much without breaking service commitments

How flexible connection agreements, onsite batteries and compute scheduling can trade limited curtailment for earlier connection and paid grid services

What grid operators need before they can rely on data centre flexibility, from ramp-rate and ride-through rules to market products and 24/7 carbon-free matching

[Reserved for Sponsor]

[Closing Panel] From Connection Offer to First Power: Planning and Delivering the Next Gigawatt

How earlier sharing of pipeline and load data between authorities, grid operators and developers can steer projects to sites where power can be delivered

How anticipatory grid investment, brownfield sites and co-location with generation can shorten time to power without stranding assets

How connection works, grid upgrades and onsite construction can run in parallel, with phased energisation and interim onsite power built into connection agreements

Chair Closing

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11-12 October 2027
Frankfurt, Germany
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Welcome Address by Conference Chair

[Opening Panel] Data Centres and the Grid: From Connection Requests to Long-Term Partnership

What credible load forecasts and project maturity evidence should developers provide to grid operators

What shared planning mechanisms reduce speculative queues and wasted network investment

What does a balanced long-term utility–data centre partnership look like in practice

[Connection & Regulation Panel] Who Gets the Grid, and Who Pays for It? Reforming Europe's Large-Load Connections

How should large-load queues rank project readiness, milestones, deposits and flexibility

Who funds grid upgrades and how should cost risks be shared fairly among users

What connection agreements can release speculative capacity and speed viable projects

Coffee Break & Networking

[Reserved for Sponsor]

[Microgrids Panel] Microgrids and the Grid: From Stopgap Power to Campus Infrastructure

How campus microgrids are moving from bridge power while waiting for connection to permanent infrastructure that runs alongside the grid

What Europe’s first microgrid-powered data centre in Dublin shows about scale, technology mix and the line between islanded and grid-tied operation

How financing, permitting and low-carbon fuel pathways can make microgrids a long-term grid resource rather than a grid rival

Luncheon

[Case Study Panel] Connection in Practice: Lessons from Recent Data Centre Projects

Which choices accelerated or delayed recent European data centre connections

What did developers and grid operators learn from phased energisation and early-load disclosure

How did brownfield grid assets, onsite energy or flexible arrangements change project outcomes

[Compute–Power Synergy Panel] Compute and the Grid: From Fixed Load to Dispatchable Resource

Which AI workloads, from training and batch inference to non-critical loads, can flex and by how much without breaking service commitments

How flexible connection agreements, onsite batteries and compute scheduling can trade limited curtailment for earlier connection and paid grid services

What grid operators need before they can rely on data centre flexibility, from ramp-rate and ride-through rules to market products and 24/7 carbon-free matching

[Reserved for Sponsor]

[Closing Panel] From Connection Offer to First Power: Planning and Delivering the Next Gigawatt

How earlier sharing of pipeline and load data between authorities, grid operators and developers can steer projects to sites where power can be delivered

How anticipatory grid investment, brownfield sites and co-location with generation can shorten time to power without stranding assets

How connection works, grid upgrades and onsite construction can run in parallel, with phased energisation and interim onsite power built into connection agreements

Chair Closing

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

11-12 October 2027 Frankfurt, Germany #DCEWorld2027

Proud Member of

11-12 October 2027
Frankfurt, Germany
#DCEWorld2027