Heiko Tit, Commercial Lead at Novar, joined ENERGIZED: Netcongestie in Rotterdam to spark a conversation: how data centers and renewables are becoming increasingly intertwined, induced by grid congestion. And why collaboration between the two worlds is essential.
“For Novar, this event was an opportunity to enter a sector where we’re still relatively unknown. Data centers often don’t yet know what Novar does or what we can offer. Events like this allow us to explain that. Once we do, the response is consistently positive. Because the challenges for data centers are increasing and renewable energy could be part of the solution.”
Challenges ahead
“The data center world and the renewable energy world have traditionally been two separate domains. But grid congestion is bringing them together. Data centers’ energy demand is growing fast, particularly because of the growing use of AI, while at the same time they need to decarbonize and still secure reliable and affordable connections. Renewables can play a crucial role. Challenging, because it requires a completely new way of thinking.”
“Data & renewables requires a completely new way of thinking.”
A niche event with high quality
“We made a start with this new way of thinking at Energized. It wasn’t a huge conference, around eighty people. And that was its strength. It made a very focused niche. The people who attended knew exactly what they were talking about and what they were looking for. Every conversation was worth having.”
“Our break-out room was a first for us when it comes to data centers. Luckily our room was completely full: twenty to twenty-five people, of which a significant amount of data center developers. Highly knowledgeable and highly experienced. We created a very interactive session. And because of the participation, it was. People were eager to contribute and very open. They challenged each other, asked questions, contributed ideas. That’s incredibly valuable, especially since this market does not have dozens of concrete reference cases to show as it is still in its infancy. A session like this starts to visualize how the relationship between data centers and renewables should be.”
Events like this matter
“I do believe events like these are important. It shows that the willingness to collaborate is very high. Everyone feels the need to work together. We need each other. Sessions like this can become a real flywheel for cooperation. Once you start exploring grid congestion, flexibility and renewable generation together, you get to see what’s possible. For Novar, this kind of visibility matters. We’re not just there to take, we want to bring knowledge, ideas, solutions. And we learn a lot by listening.”
I do believe events like these are important. It shows that the willingness to collaborate is very high. We need each other. – Heiko Tit
How does an intertwined future look like?
The main conclusion is that soon data centers and renewables will be like a (happy) marriage ;). It’s entirely logical to bring data centers and renewable energy solutions closer together. You can see it like this: until now, electricity always flowed towards the data center. But that must change. That’s the new way of thinking I’m talking about.”
“Three topics really stood out:
- The energy flow needs to become bidirectional: data centers shouldn’t just consume; they can also play a role in flexibility. With the right incentives, data centers can be flexible.
- Data centers as congestion relievers: within their contracted capacity, there’s room for flexibility. By using backup resources more intelligently and sustainably, they can contribute real value.
- Data centers need to be developed near renewables: in the development of new data centers, developers should be looking more towards locations where sufficient renewable energy is available.
The discussions were eye-opening. Data centers truly need to rethink their energy supply to be future proof. For example: if you give everyone unlimited transport capacity, congestion will always return. It works a bit like a bigger highway; it only will become more crowded once there is more space. So, you need to focus on flexibility. Not just on reinforcing the grid. That mindset is becoming increasingly shared.”
“Novar can help optimise energy supply while making it cleaner. For example, by integrating local renewable generation, adding battery storage, linking data centers to existing Novar assets, and orchestrating everything through Repowered.
Exploring further
“There was this inspiring pumped hydro storage project that came up. It really captures the imagination — the scale, the ambition. It shows what’s possible when you think big. The biggest confirmation is that everyone is facing grid congestion. From data centers to supermarket chains to industry and real estate. It’s everywhere. But it’s the challenge to not see it as a problem. Think big and start seeing it as an opportunity: in a decarbonised world, energy must be generated, used and steered locally. Even if grid congestion is not an issue in maybe ten years, intertwining local demand with local generation will still be the pathway to net zero. Grid congestion is simply the catalyst.”
