The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) has reported strong industry interest in plans to develop renewable energy and data centre infrastructure alongside its flagship rail facility in South Wales.
Several major organisations have submitted formal Expressions of Interest following the first phase of the selection process, with a second stage of discussions now set to begin.
The proposed development would see a partner deliver renewable energy sources and a data centre across the 700-hectare site, a former opencast mine comparable in size to Gibraltar, supporting both the rail project and wider regional growth.
GCRE Chief Executive Simon Jones said:
“Following the close of the first stage of our competition we can see clear market appetite from partners in our site as a location for high quality energy and data centre infrastructure.
“The last few months have been very encouraging and we will now continue the dialogue with the various bidders to develop the potential of their ideas further.”
Strategic site with strong fundamentals
GCRE is being developed as a purpose-built facility for rail testing, research and net zero technology development, with ambitions to become a leading European hub for sustainable mobility innovation.
Its location offers a combination of scale and infrastructure that is proving attractive to investors. The site benefits from 132kV and 400kV power lines, alongside plans for enhanced high-capacity fibre connectivity.
Jones added:
“The opportunity for a long-term development partnership with GCRE is a unique one. The GCRE site’s size, power grid and telecoms connectivity make it very appealing for the development of renewable energy and data centre assets.
“Energy and data centre infrastructure on the site will help underpin GCRE’s wider development and is something that underpins our search for investment for the rail project.”
Aligning with net zero and AI ambitions
The proposals align with wider government priorities around net zero transition and digital infrastructure, particularly as South Wales emerges as a focus area for growth.
The site sits within close proximity to Cardiff, where data centre clusters are already forming, and follows the region’s recent designation as an AI Growth Zone.
Jones said:
“We have seen in recent times the important ways in which the energy and AI policy landscape is developing fast. The UK is seeking to harness the opportunities of net zero transition and AI by developing the infrastructure needed to support it. Wales is at the forefront of that change – just recently South Wales was designated as a new AI Growth Zone by the UK Government.
“GCRE and the modern energy and data infrastructure we can build on the site is clearly one of those opportunities and it’s something we believe we can use as a platform for the new green jobs we can then create around the rail cluster.”
Next steps
The energy and data centre partnership competition is progressing in parallel with GCRE’s broader efforts to secure investment for the rail facility itself.
Further updates on both processes are expected later in 2026, as the project continues to position itself as a major hub for rail innovation, clean energy and digital infrastructure in the UK.
