Vertiv unveils Next Predict, an AI-powered service that predicts and prevents data centre risks before they arise. (Image source: Vertiv)

Vertiv has launched Vertiv Next Predict, an AI-powered managed service designed to revolutionise data centre maintenance

Moving beyond traditional time-based and reactive approaches, the service industrialises operations by analysing asset behaviour before risks occur. Next Predict represents the latest enhancement in Vertiv’s integrated AI infrastructure portfolio, providing predictive intelligence across power, cooling, and IT systems to establish a unified, resilient foundation for AI-driven data centres.

As AI workloads transform the data centre environment, facilities require greater visibility and control over critical infrastructure to ensure continuous performance at scale. By adopting advanced analytics and predictive maintenance strategies, organisations can proactively address these challenges and maintain reliable operations across distributed environments.

“Data centre operators need innovative technologies to stay ahead of potential risks, as compute intensity rises and infrastructures evolve,” said Ryan Jarvis, vice president of the global services business unit at Vertiv.

“Vertiv Next Predict helps data centres unlock uptime, shifting maintenance from traditional calendar-based routines to a proactive, data-driven strategy. We move from assumptions to informed decisions, by continuously monitoring equipment condition and enabling risk mitigation before potential impacts to operations.”

Vertiv Next Predict uses AI-based anomaly detection to continuously monitor operating conditions and identify deviations from expected behaviour at an early stage. A predictive algorithm evaluates potential operational impacts to determine risk and prioritise response. Root cause analysis isolates contributing factors to support efficient, targeted resolution. Based on system data and the operational context, prescriptive actions are defined and executed, with corrective measures carried out by qualified Vertiv Services personnel.

Built for versatility and future growth, Vertiv Next Predict currently supports a broad and expanding range of Vertiv power and cooling platforms, including battery energy storage solutions and liquid cooling components. The service is designed for scalability, enabling seamless integration with future data centre technologies as part of a unified, grid-to-chip architecture. This approach allows customers to adopt Next Predict today while ensuring the service can evolve alongside their infrastructure requirements.

Vertiv Services brings decades of experience in critical digital infrastructure, a global network of trained technicians, and AI-powered analytics.

For more information about Vertiv Next Predict or Vertiv’s end-to-end power and thermal management solutions, including the OneCore scalable prefabricated data centre infrastructure solution, SmartRun modular overhead IT infrastructure system, and Vertiv’s expanding portfolio for AI and high-density workloads, visit Vertiv’s website.

Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has signed an agreement with Khalifa University of Science and Technology to jointly develop advanced energy system tools aimed at strengthening the stability and resilience of the UAE’s rapidly decarbonising power sector.

The collaboration will focus on developing intelligent, software-based solutions to support grid stability as renewable energy penetration accelerates across Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE. The initiative comes as EWEC advances a major transformation of the water and power sector, targeting nearly emissions-free water production by 2030 and meeting 60 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s electricity demand from renewable and clean energy sources.

EWEC’s strategy includes the large-scale rollout of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, forecast to exceed 30GW by 2035, alongside 8GW of battery energy storage systems. The transition is further supported by the decoupling of water and power production through low-carbon reverse osmosis desalination.

As variable renewable energy sources become increasingly integrated into the grid, managing system stability has become a critical priority. Under the agreement, EWEC and Khalifa University will develop intelligent software modules to support the integration of large-scale PV generation and energy storage into the power system. These tools will include predictive modules to forecast power ramping requirements, providing advisory support to operators to ensure secure operation within system limits.

The partnership will also deliver machine learning-based tools to estimate system inertia and forecast frequency deviations, alongside recommendations to mitigate potential grid stability risks.

Ahmed Ali Alshamsi, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, said the collaboration supports EWEC’s broader role in shaping the UAE’s energy future through strategic planning and the deployment of large-scale solar and battery assets, while accelerating the transition to near-zero-emission water production via reverse osmosis. He added that integrating advanced analytics and AI-driven forecasting into operations will help build a future-ready water and power sector and support progress towards the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.

His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, said the partnership demonstrates the role of academia in addressing real-world energy challenges and positions the university at the intersection of innovation and national strategy. He noted that the collaboration will harness advanced deep learning and intelligent modelling to support resilient, data-driven power systems, while transferring knowledge to the next generation of Emirati engineers and system operators.

Beyond technical development, the partnership includes a structured knowledge-transfer programme comprising technical documentation, training and a multi-day operational workshop. Emirati participation is embedded within the project team, with monthly reporting on skills transfer and national capacity-building outcomes.

The initiative aligns with EWEC’s long-term strategy to deliver a smarter, cleaner and more resilient energy system, combining advanced analytics with world-class infrastructure to ensure grid stability, accelerate decarbonisation and strengthen national capabilities.

Cleanova, a global provider of advanced industrial filtration solutions, has secured a contract to supply critical filtration systems for the Liverpool Bay Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Transportation and Storage project, part of the UK government’s HyNet North West low-carbon and hydrogen initiative.

The contract was awarded by Saipem, the international engineering, procurement and construction company responsible for converting an existing gas compression and treatment facility at Point of Ayr, North Wales, into a CO₂ Electrical Compression Station. The facility will enable the permanent storage of captured CO₂ emissions from heavy industry across North West England and North Wales, with compressed CO₂ injected into depleted hydrocarbon fields beneath Liverpool Bay.

Under the agreement, Cleanova will supply purpose-engineered filtration units designed to ensure operational efficiency, safety and long-term reliability across the CO₂ transportation and storage process. Each unit, weighing around 50 tonnes, will remove residual amines, water, hydrocarbons and other condensed liquids or particulates from the captured CO₂ stream. Removing these impurities is critical to protecting compression equipment, maintaining process integrity and enabling safe, long-term storage.

The Liverpool Bay project is a cornerstone of the HyNet North West industrial decarbonisation cluster and is expected to support the capture and permanent storage of up to 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. Once fully operational, the project will make a significant contribution to the UK’s net-zero targets and wider energy-transition objectives.

Macer Braidwood, Cleanova’s global market manager ‐ energy transition, said, “Our custom filtration systems already play a vital role in the energy transition by capturing emissions and purifying process streams across a wide-range of clean-energy applications. Being selected to support the UK's first large-scale carbon capture and storage project is an important milestone for Cleanova. We are proud to partner with Saipem on the Liverpool Bay CCS project and to contribute our filtration expertise to an initiative that will deliver meaningful, long-term environmental impact. It is another step to our mission to provide filtration solutions today for a better tomorrow.” 

Holcim has joined the Alliance for Industry Decarbonization (AFID) under the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), reinforcing its commitment to supporting the transition towards low-carbon construction in the UAE and across the wider region.

The membership was formalised during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2026 and represents a strategic milestone for Holcim UAE, signalling a shift from site-level operational decarbonisation to broader sector-wide leadership. Through its participation in AFID, Holcim is aligning itself with a government-led platform that brings together policymakers, international organisations and industrial leaders to accelerate decarbonisation across hard-to-abate sectors.

AFID focuses on advancing the deployment of technologies, policies and investment frameworks that enable meaningful emissions reductions in energy- and carbon-intensive industries. By joining the alliance, Holcim aims to contribute its operational expertise in sustainable building materials and construction solutions to policy and industry discussions shaping the UAE’s industrial future.

Holcim said its participation reflects a deliberate emphasis on collaboration with governments and industry peers, ensuring that regulatory frameworks, technology pathways and investment signals are grounded in real-world industrial experience. The company has positioned itself as an active contributor to dialogues that seek to balance ambition with practical implementation.

“Industry decarbonisation requires practical action at scale, supported by the right policy direction. Joining AFID allows Holcim to engage at that intersection, bringing perspective shaped by practical experience to conversations that matter for the UAE’s low-carbon future,” said Ali Said, CEO of Holcim UAE and Oman.

AFID’s work spans several priority areas, including renewables, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), circularity, green hydrogen, human capital development and climate-aligned finance. These focus areas closely align with Holcim’s long-term strategy, in which sustainability underpins how the business operates, invests and collaborates across its value chain.

In the UAE, Holcim has been steadily advancing initiatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of construction materials, while supporting national climate objectives and industrial competitiveness. Through AFID, the company will be able to engage more closely with decision-makers and industry stakeholders to help shape enabling conditions for large-scale decarbonisation.

Holcim said that contributing to alliance-led initiatives allows it to go beyond individual projects and play a role in building the broader systems required for a low-carbon industrial economy. This includes supporting knowledge sharing, fostering partnerships and helping to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies across the construction and materials sectors.

By joining AFID, Holcim reinforces its position as a long-term partner committed to advancing sustainable construction in the United Arab Emirates, while contributing to regional and global efforts to decarbonise industry in line with climate targets.