Dr. Ben Krikler of Centrica at Data Centre LIVE: London

What if one of the biggest opportunities to improve data centre energy efficiency comes from rethinking how power reaches the facility in the first place?

As operators face growing demand for both scalable and sustainable power, direct current (DC) microgrids are emerging as a technology worth watching.

Speaking with BizClik Studio at Data Centre LIVE, Dr. Ben Krikler discussed the role DC infrastructure could play in improving efficiency across data centre environments.

Ben leads Energised Futures, Centrica’s research and innovation incubator, which explores emerging energy technologies and works to accelerate the energy transition through partnerships with universities, startups and industry.

Data centres emerge as a key innovation focus

Discussing the challenge of turning research into commercial products, Dr. Ben Krikler says: “It's probably the hardest thing we're facing into.

“But our approach is essentially, firstly, to take ideas where we have a clear commercial vision for this.

“It's not just an interesting idea or an interesting technology. There is at least a vision for what the rounded solution will be.

“What will be the value to an end customer, whether that's a home or a business or a data centre, as we mentioned.”

The route from laboratory testing to deployment starts with a defined customer outcome at Energised Futures. The company then works with partners to validate technologies, test value chains and prove commercial viability before scaling solutions.

The company has also invested heavily in testing capability.

Ben discussed Energised Futures' new £35m (US$46m) laboratory facility built to evaluate emerging energy technologies before they move into real-world environments.

Why DC microgrids matter

Among the projects attracting the most attention within Energised Futures is a pilot programme centred on DC microgrids.

Ben says: “On the bigger side of things, I think one of the things I'm most excited about is the potential we found in DC microgrids.

“Data centres prefer to sit on a DC microgrid. They will prefer energy coming in as DC.

“And so there's a big potential for energy efficiency if you can connect this properly through that DC microgrid.

“The fact that we managed to get this pilot going – we've got a, you know, clear pipeline to have it launched this year – is a huge potential that we are going to tap into.”

The concept aligns with a growing industry focus on reducing conversion losses between alternating current and direct current systems.

By integrating solar generation, battery storage and electric vehicle charging infrastructure through a DC architecture, operators could improve overall energy efficiency while supporting ever-demanding workloads.

Balancing technology, affordability and security

Ben's expertise has been shaped by a background in particle physics, including work at CERN.

He argues that energy innovation cannot be viewed solely through a technological lens.

“The energy transition is a classic energy trilemma, as people call it. So it's not just about technology, but it's also about security and affordability,” he explains.

This balance is especially relevant in data centres as demand for power continues to rise alongside pressure to improve sustainability performance.

Beyond technical innovation, Energised Futures also assesses projects against broader environmental and social outcomes.

Ben says the organisation looks for technologies that deliver commercial value while supporting decarbonisation and wider participation in the energy transition.

The DC microgrid pilot represents just one example of how energy providers are exploring new infrastructure models designed to improve efficiency without compromising reliability.