Vertiv & Caterpillar: Expanding Power and Cooling Solutions

Vertiv and Caterpillar have announced a strategic agreement that brings their respective power and cooling portfolios into a shared framework, targeting the growing number of data centres that require on-site generation to meet AI-driven demand. 

The collaboration will focus on pre-designed architectures that combine Caterpillar’s power systems with Vertiv’s electrical distribution and thermal technologies, offering operators a way to accelerate deployment while reducing dependence on the grid.

Integrating on-site power and cooling

The initiative responds to a clear shift in how high-density data centres are being planned and built.

Operators supporting large AI clusters are increasingly turning to natural gas turbines, reciprocating engines and combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) systems to stabilise capacity or to operate independently from constrained grids.

Caterpillar, together with its subsidiary Solar Turbines, will provide the power generation foundation for the new reference designs, while Vertiv will supply modular power and cooling blocks, including distribution technologies and mechanical systems.

“This collaboration with Caterpillar and Solar Turbines is a cornerstone of our Bring Your Own Power & Cooling (BYOP&C) strategy and aligns seamlessly with our grid-to-chip framework by offering resilient, on-site power generation solutions,” says Gio Albertazzi, CEO at Vertiv. 

“By combining our complementary technologies, portfolios and expertise, we are enabling coordinated integration. Our pre-engineered, interoperability-tested building blocks let customers execute design, build and deploy concurrently, with predictable system performance.”

Responding to AI’s rising energy footprint

The companies position the agreement as a response to the escalating demand generated by AI training clusters, which are significantly more power and cooling intensive than traditional enterprise loads. 

Jason Kaiser, Group President of Caterpillar Power & Energy, explains how the trend is adding new pressure to energy planning.

“As AI-driven workloads continue to accelerate, the demand for robust and scalable power infrastructure and cooling is becoming increasingly critical,” says Jason. “Our collaboration with Vertiv will enable us to deliver integrated, on-site energy solutions that lower PUE and meet customers' evolving needs.”

For many operators, the challenge is no longer simply the amount of power required, but the ability of electrical grids to deliver that power quickly. Long interconnection queues have coincided with the rapid expansion of hyperscale facilities, slowing timelines for new sites and forcing operators to consider on-site alternatives.

Modular architectures and deployment timelines

A key promise of the collaboration is to shorten time-to-power through modular design. 

Vertiv’s modular blocks combine power distribution, static transfer, UPS systems and cooling technologies in pre-engineered configurations that can be integrated with Caterpillar’s generators and CCHP systems. These building blocks are designed to allow operators to work on construction and system integration in parallel rather than sequentially.

The companies say the combined approach could also improve overall facility efficiency. By designing the power and cooling systems as a single architecture, operators can optimise energy distribution and reduce losses that occur when systems from multiple vendors are integrated late in the design process. The companies highlight potential improvements to PUE, particularly for sites that employ heat recovery from CCHP systems.

Grid independence and lifecycle support

Another aspect of the collaboration is the emphasis on reducing reliance on local grids. While few hyperscale operators intend to operate entirely off grid, the ability to generate a significant proportion of required power on site is increasingly seen as essential, particularly in regions where grid expansions are delayed or politically constrained.

Both companies will also contribute their global service networks, which they say will be crucial for customers planning large-scale deployments across multiple regions. Lifecycle support will include maintenance for power generation, electrical systems and thermal equipment.