CoreWeave, the NASDAQ-listed cloud provider that pivoted from cryptocurrency mining to AI infrastructure, is running into a familiar problem with its massive Scottish data centre ambitions: the electricity to actually run the thing.
The company’s £8.2 billion partnership with Scottish operator DataVita in North Lanarkshire, designated as the UK’s first AI Growth Zone in January 2026, was supposed to be a showcase of private renewable energy powering 500 MW of AI-ready capacity. Government officials and developers have privately acknowledged that the site has a power provision “issue,” casting a shadow over one of Europe’s largest planned AI infrastructure projects.
The pitch vs. the reality
On paper, the project reads like a clean-energy fairy tale. Over 1 GW of privately sourced renewable energy from wind, solar, and battery resources. A Power Usage Effectiveness ratio of 1.15, which is impressive by industry standards. A claimed 97% reduction in carbon intensity compared to the London grid. Closed-loop cooling systems to minimize water usage. Even a plan to pipe excess heat into local hospitals.
The community sweetener wasn’t bad either: a £543 million fund spread over 15 years, plus an estimated 3,400 jobs for the area.
