T.Loop at Data Centre World Frankfurt: Cecilia Hjertzell on Grid Citizenship and the Future of Sustainable Data Centres
At this year’s Data Centre World Frankfurt, T.Loop's Chief Sustainability and Marketing Officer Cecilia Hjertzell was invited as a speaker to share her perspectives on the evolving role of data centres in the energy transition. In an in-depth interview with Data Centre Solutions, she discussed why the industry must move beyond compliance and toward proactive collaboration.
“We need to create true win-win partnerships that tap into the value of excess heat and grid balancing—before regulations force us to,” Cecilia emphasized.
Cecilia argued that data centres have the potential—and the responsibility—to become active grid citizens, not just passive grid consumers. This means thinking differently about energy flows, investing in smarter infrastructure, and co-developing solutions with utilities, municipalities, and industry.
While the data centre sector is often seen as conservative and risk-averse, Cecilia pointed out that power constraints pose an even greater risk than innovation itself. As demand for compute capacity grows exponentially, access to power is becoming a bottleneck—and the ability to contribute to grid stability could become a license to operate.
“Grid constraints are no longer a future scenario—they’re here. The question is whether we wait to be regulated, or take the lead.”
At T.Loop, we believe that data centres should be tightly integrated into the local energy ecosystem. Through our Data Energy Center® concept, we design for flexibility, sustainability, and mutual benefit. Cecilia’s message at DCW Frankfurt was clear: to unlock the full value of digital infrastructure, we must act now—together.