Thursday 12 November 2026
13:30 – 14:30 (local time)
Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Pavilion, Blue Zone, COP31, Antalya, Türkiye
Hosted by AVEVA and Jones Day, in partnership with KPMG, this senior roundtable will explore how data centres can move from being seen primarily as a source of pressure on electricity grids to becoming flexible assets that support the energy system.
The discussion will examine how smarter and more flexible electricity demand from data centres could help relieve peak pressure, enable greater integration of renewable energy and support investment in grid infrastructure. Bringing together network operators, technology companies, developers and other industry leaders, it will also consider the policy and regulatory changes needed to scale flexibility and respond to growing concerns around resource use.
Chair of CETEx Chris Skidmore will co-chair the roundtable, helping to frame the discussion around the relationship between the rapid growth of AI, clean power and grid capacity. He will also moderate a discussion on policy and system design, exploring how governments and regulators can incentivise greater flexibility from data centres and how industry can support the development of energy systems capable of meeting growing demand.
The roundtable will bring together senior representatives from across industry to share perspectives on grid flexibility, energy demand and enabling policy.