Viridor and Rivington Energy Partner to Build 200MW of EfW-Powered Data Centers Across the UK
June 10, 2026
Viridor and Rivington Energy Partner to Build 200MW of EfW-Powered Data Centers Across the UK
UK energy-from-waste (EfW) firm Viridor Energy has entered into a partnership with renewable energy developer Rivington Energy to build a portfolio of data centers directly powered by Viridor’s EfW facilities across the UK. The collaboration marks a significant step in addressing the growing energy demands of AI-ready data infrastructure, particularly as grid capacity constraints continue to challenge the sector.
Under the agreement, Rivington Energy will develop up to 200MW of data center capacity across four sites in Bristol, Greater London, Oxfordshire, and Fife. The first project, located in Avonmouth, Bristol, has already been submitted for local planning approval. The Avonmouth facility is expected to deliver 40MW of capacity and will feature high-density racks supporting up to 144kW per rack, designed specifically for AI workloads. If planning permission is granted, the data center is slated to begin operations in 2027.
“Our partnership with Viridor represents an important step towards closing this gap. By sourcing power directly from Viridor’s Energy from Waste facilities rather than the grid, we can access a reliable long-term power supply while making productive use of energy generated from residual waste that would otherwise not be recycled. This helps improve cost competitiveness while maintaining operational flexibility,” said Andrew Newman, director at Rivington Energy.
Viridor operates the largest EfW fleet in the UK, with 12 operational facilities generating more than 2,100GWh of baseload electricity annually. “Our partnership with Rivington Energy reflects Viridor’s strategy to maximize the long-term value of our Energy from Waste assets. Co-locating data centers at our sites creates an opportunity to provide reliable, long-term power directly to critical digital infrastructure, while making effective use of the energy generated through our operations,” added Pierre Dorel, managing director at Viridor Energy.
Rivington Energy, a London-based sustainable energy specialist, has developed more than 1GW of solar and battery storage projects through its development arm, Renewable Connections. In May, the firm announced plans for a separate data center campus in Lincolnshire co-located with a solar farm, signaling a broader push into behind-the-meter energy solutions for digital infrastructure.
EfW plants are modern incinerator facilities that burn non-recyclable household and commercial waste at high temperatures to generate electricity and heat. While often described as green energy, the plants emit high levels of CO2 and nitrogen oxides, though emissions are mitigated through advanced filtration systems. Proponents argue that EfW remains a less polluting alternative to landfill. Several data center and telecom operators in the UK have already explored EfW as a power source; Ark Data Centres, for example, signed a direct-wire supply deal with London Energy’s Edmonton EfW EcoPark.
The Viridor-Rivington partnership highlights a growing trend among data center developers to secure reliable, long-term power outside the traditional grid, especially as AI workloads drive unprecedented demand for high-density, energy-intensive computing capacity.
Source: datacenterdynamics
