Emerald AI, Google and Nvidia have launched the AI Energy Management Alliance (AEMA), a group focused on data centres that can adjust their electricity use based on power grid conditions.
The alliance aims to support faster connections for data centres by encouraging facilities to reduce or shift their electricity demand during periods of peak grid stress.
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Potential measures include moving computing workloads, using battery storage, drawing on co-located generation and responding to grid emergencies.
These approaches could make better use of existing grid capacity, reduce pressure on the system and support electricity affordability for ratepayers.
The group’s founding members are joined by 18 launch partners from the AI, semiconductor, energy and utility sectors.
They include Analog Devices, Anthropic, National Grid, AES, RWE, Constellation and NRG, alongside Camus, Calibrant Energy, ClearPath, Fluence, Encoord, Generate Capital, PassKey, GridUnity, Splight, Voltus and Verrus.
AEMA’s proposed framework would assess factors such as response speed, operating duration, predictability and performance during emergencies, rather than requiring specific equipment or software.
The alliance also plans to develop technical standards and data-sharing requirements, define obligations for staying connected during brief disturbances and reducing consumption when required, and establish faster interconnection routes for facilities that make verifiable flexibility commitments.
Emerald AI CEO Dr Varun Sivaram said: “The most effective way to accelerate American AI is to make every data centre a good citizen of the grid.
“Data centres that flex their power use in response to peak grid stress can connect faster and at far greater scale, while the communities that host them gain a more reliable grid and protection from rising electricity bills.
“Emerald AI is proud to help found AEMA so the AI buildout strengthens both American competitiveness and the neighbourhoods that power it.” Energy industry executive Frank Lacey will serve as AEMA’s executive director.
