First HPE datacentre modules set to land at Derbyshire AI website

The primary HPE “modular” Mod Pod datacentre modules are set for supply at Carbon3.ai’s off-grid Derbyshire “AI manufacturing facility”.

The location will ultimately comprise 5 HPE Mod Pods, that are modular datacentre pods able to delivering 1.5mW of datacentre functionality, and might be powered by electrical energy generated from landfill gasoline on the website.

The Derbyshire website will go dwell within the second half of 2026, in keeping with Carbon3.ai chief technique officer Sana Kharegani.

Carbon3.ai has plans to create a “nationwide grid for AI” primarily based on renewable power, with entry to round 40 websites within the UK. The initiative comes within the context of the UK authorities’s plans for AI development zones throughout the nation. The Derbyshire website is the primary at which any datacentre gear can have been deployed by the corporate. 

Carbon3.ai’s datacentre plans are primarily based round a detailed relationship with Valencia Vitality, with which there’s some executive-level crossover. Valencia owns and operates round 40 websites within the UK, lots of which produce power from landfill gasoline, however which additionally embrace solar energy at a few of its brownfield websites. 

Planning permission was granted in early November 2025 for the “AI manufacturing facility” on a former landfill website between Duckmanton and Poolsbrook, close to Chesterfield. The location, often called Erin Landfill, can be house to an power manufacturing facility run by Valencia Vitality that harnesses gasoline within the former landfill. The location has been the topic of long-running complaints from native residents about odor and fly infestations.

HPE Mod Pods are transport container-sized modules that home every part wanted for datacentre deployment.

HPE’s AI Mod Pods are its newest technology of the product, which may ship 1.5mW in modules with hybrid air and water cooling. Carbon.ai’s Mod Pods will run AI techniques constructed round Nvidia B300 structure.

It’s attainable to make use of heated water from the modules, however within the Carbon3.ai case, it will likely be a closed loop system that minimises water use, stated Kharegani, who estimated it might use the equal of consuming water for 3 folks for a 12 months.

“We’re capturing warmth from the pods as nicely, and we have now designs to have the ability to do stuff with it for the group, however that needs to be labored out proper now with the council,” she stated.

Kharegani added that Carbon3.ai’s websites will goal prospects with AI use instances that need knowledge to stay sovereign within the UK, and that it’s eager to assist with regeneration efforts. 

“We’re rising AI infrastructure capability throughout the UK, and the shoppers we’re are these focused on resilient, high-performance compute, and safe infrastructure that retains their knowledge within the UK, below UK jurisdiction,” she stated.

“We’re completely within the area, as a result of for us, one of many key drivers is regeneration of an space. So, we’re these outdated industrial brownfield websites throughout the UK, the place inserting the datacentre on the coronary heart of the group can truly make a distinction. We’re pondering of how we construct this with the group in thoughts from the outset.”

The Derbyshire datacentre will present six full-time and two part-time employed positions, in keeping with the planning utility.