Hey Aleksandra! You're interested in understanding how the surge in AI demand is positioning data centres at the core of digital infrastructure finance—especially regarding energy supply, environmental impact, and project delivery complexity. You’d also like sources, links, deal and event data, and perspectives on what to watch in 2026. Here’s my plan: ### Plan 1. Gather Proximo news and in-depth articles focused on: - AI-driven growth in data centres - Financing trends, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) scrutiny, and project complexity. 2. Summarize recent deals related to data centres and their financing criteria. 3. List relevant Proximo event sessions that addressed these themes, linking where possible. 4. Offer perspectives and expert commentary on what to watch for in 2026, building on observed trends. 5. Provide source links wherever available. Let’s start by gathering the latest Proximo content (news, articles, perspectives), then dig into deals and event sessions, before synthesizing what this means going into 2026.Here’s an easy-to-navigate package, Aleksandra! Below you’ll find the latest on how AI demand is turning data centres into the key battleground of digital infrastructure finance—focusing on energy supply, ESG scrutiny, and delivery risk. I’ve included news, major deals, relevant Proximo event sessions, and what to watch for in 2026. (Click the links for source details!) --- ## 2025 Trend: AI Fuels Data Centre Boom ### 1. News & In-Depth Articles #### What happened this year: - **Mega-investments and delivery speed:** - [Oracle nears $38bn funding for US AI data centres](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/73982) (Oct 2025): Two ultra-high-spec campuses to power OpenAI, financed by global banks. - [Lambda closes $275m AI data centre loan](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/72520) (Aug 2025): Expanding cloud GPU infrastructure for enterprise AI needs. - [BNDES supports $65bn Rio AI City mega project](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/71496) (Jul 2025): One of the world’s largest data centre undertakings, with ESG and power grid complexity at its core. - [Fluidstack negotiating $700m fundraise for rapid AI DC build](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/74939) (Dec 2025): New models for fast, modular delivery and leveraging existing infrastructure. - [Applied Digital secures $100m for AI-optimised campuses](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/75285) (Dec 2025): Power contracts and pre-leasing key to financial close. - [Digital Edge closes $580m Seoul Green Loan](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/71634) (Jul 2025): ESG-driven debt for new regional hyperscale facilities. - **Power and sustainability in the spotlight:** - [VoltaGrid to deploy 2.3GW for Oracle AI data centres](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/73796) (Oct 2025): Cutting-edge low-emission power solutions for hyperscale AI. - [Gentari & Gamuda sign 1.5GW solar deal for Malaysian DCs](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/72617) (Aug 2025): Renewables now a prerequisite for hyperscale. - [Pacifico Energy launches 5GW off-grid AI campus](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/72550) (Aug 2025): Decentralised, grid-bypassing delivery as grid bottlenecks bite. - **New financing and partnerships:** - [Brookfield launches $10bn global AI infra fund](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/74555) (Nov 2025): Heavyweight energy-to-DC scale integration with NVIDIA. - [Blue Owl closes $7bn digital infrastructure fund](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/70735) (May 2025): Investment focus on mission-critical AI/cloud DCs worldwide. --- ### 2. Major AI Data Centre Deals in 2025 | Deal | Volume (USDm) | Date | Details | |---------------------------------------------------|---------------|------------|----------------------------------------| | [Hyperion Data Centre Campus – Bond Financing](https://ai.exilegroup.com/redirect/Deal/35019) | 27,300 | 2025-10-21 | Landmark bond for next-gen AI hub | | [1.2GW Abilene Data Centre Project Phase 2](https://ai.exilegroup.com/redirect/Deal/33410) | 7,121 | 2025-05-19 | Financing for major US AI facility | | [Databricks AI Data Centres Expansion](https://ai.exilegroup.com/redirect/Deal/31146) | 5,250 | 2025-01-28 | Platform expansion: delivery challenge | | [330MW Miner Data Centers Project (Building A)](https://ai.exilegroup.com/redirect/Deal/35986) | 4,643 | 2025-11-12 | Large-scale—new power/ESG specs | | [DayOne Johor Data Center Projects](https://ai.exilegroup.com/redirect/Deal/33364) | 3,468 | 2025-06-12 | Malaysian campus—green and scalable | *Criteria you care about—AI-driven demand, power contracts, renewables, & complexity of delivery—are headline factors in almost every deal this year.* --- ### 3. Event Sessions – Proximo 2025 | Event & Session (Link where available) | Date | Speakers | Focus | |--------------------------------------------------|-------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | Proximo Congress 2025: US Energy & Infrastructure Finance – Data Center Power Needs | 2025-06-17 | Juan Macias, Joe Stefano, etc | Grid, energy, delivery, demand shocks| | Proximo Congress 2025: Cooling to Capital: Water-Wise... | 2025-06-18 | Alise Porto | ESG/green finance for AI data centres| | Proximo Latin America NY 2025: LATAM’s Digital Future | 2025-10-23 | Alexandro Padres, etc | Policy, sustainability, delivery | --- ### 4. Key Takeaways and 2026 Watch List **What to monitor into 2026:** - **Grid Bottlenecks:** Off-grid and microgrid solutions will expand as grid constraints bite. - **ESG/Sustainability:** Deals will increasingly require verified green power/PPA structures, water-wise tech, and full lifecycle carbon accounting. - **Delivery Speed & Modularity:** Fast-tracking and modular builds using repurposed/crypto assets will spread. - **Global Reach:** Expect further expansion in Asia, LATAM, MENA—where governments and new private funds are piling in. - **Energy-Data Nexus:** The winner will be those that solve clean, redundant, and flexible energy supply at scale. - **Policy Scrutiny:** New environmental regulation, like carbon taxes and efficiency requirements, will shape finance and operations. - **AI Workload Specialization:** Facilities will focus on ultra-dense compute, liquid/gas cooling, and sovereign/local compliance for national AI ambitions. --- ## Sources & Further Reading Here are your key reads and sources with direct links for exploration: - [Oracle nears $38bn funding for US AI data centres](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/73982) - [Lambda closes $275m AI data centre loan](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/72520) - [Fluidstack negotiating $700m fundraise for AI expansion](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/74939) - [Digital Edge closes Seoul data centre loan](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/71634) - [Applied Digital secures $100m development loan](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/75285) - [Blue Owl Capital closes $7bn digital fund](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/70735) - [Pacifico Energy launches 5GW off-grid campus](https://www.proximoinfra.com/news/72550) - **Deals data sample:** [Abilene Data Centre Project](https://ai.exilegroup.com/redirect/Deal/33410) | [DayOne Johor](https://ai.exilegroup.com/redirect/Deal/33364) - **Events:** See [Proximo event agenda](https://www.proximoinfra.com/events) or ask for session transcripts if you want deep-dive details. --- **Let me know if you want more on a region, technology, or policy angle for 2026!**