Data Centres, BESS, and Building the AI Backbone in Scotland, Giles Hanglin, CEO of Apatura
- S1E40
- 43:26
- April 16th 2025
In this episode of the Hypercube Podcast, Adam sits down with Giles Hanglin, CEO of Apatura, to unpack the strategic collision of AI, energy infrastructure, and data centres in Scotland.
Giles shares how Apatura is evolving from battery energy storage to developing gigawatt-scale data centre campuses, capitalising on grid connections originally intended for BESS projects. With over 3 GW of projects now pivoted towards data centre use, Giles explains why Scotland – often overlooked compared to Ireland – is uniquely positioned to become a global hub for AI-driven computing, thanks to its abundant green power, lower temperatures, and strong connectivity.
The conversation explores how hyperscalers are seeking final demand connections and grid resilience, the opportunity to use surplus heat for local community benefit, and how regional pricing dynamics could supercharge data centre development in the central belt. Giles also reflects on the challenges of scaling a fast-moving private business and the need for government support, planning reform, and talent pipelines to capture this transformative opportunity for the Scottish economy.
Whether you’re in energy, infrastructure, or AI, this episode provides an insider look into one of the most compelling industrial plays happening on UK soil.
Adam and Giles explore:
- How Apatura is transforming grid-connected BESS sites into AI-ready data centre campuses
- Why Scotland is primed to lead: abundant green power, cooler climate, and strong fibre connectivity
- The role of batteries in providing grid resilience and powering data centres with curtailed wind
- Opportunities to reuse surplus heat from data centres for local communities and infrastructure
- The potential for £70 billion in investment and long-term job creation across Scotland
Useful Links
- Apatura's website: https://apatura.energy/
- Connect with Giles on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giles-hanglin/
- Join Hypercube's Beyond Energy Community: https://wearehypercube.com/join-the-community/
The Hypercube Energy Podcast
The Hypercube Energy Podcast explores the application of technology, data and AI across the energy sector.
In the fast-moving energy landscape, organisations of all sizes need to understand and adopt emerging tech to tackle complex problems, identify new areas of innovation and capitalise on opportunity.
What should an energy technology strategy look like?
How do we identify what problems to solve first?
What innovations are being made in the industry?
These are the questions that host Adam Sroka seeks to answer on this show.
In each episode, he sits down with tech experts and business leaders from the energy sector to understand exactly how they are solving energy-specific data challenges today.
You can learn more about Hypercube - Energy Technology Partner at wearehypercube.com
Join the Beyond Energy Community: wearehypercube.com/join-the-community/