Veolia: Solving Data Centre Resource Procurement Issue

Article Procurement Veolia: Solving Data Centre Resource Procurement Issue By Aaron McMillan April 16, 2026 undefined mins Share Share Richard Kirkman, Veolia’s newly appointed CEO for Northern Europe. Credit: Veolia On 14 April, Veolia announced its Data Center Resource 360 offering, which helps operators achieve energy efficiency, carbon neutrality & water positivity Data centre operators are confronting an escalating resource procurement challenge, and Veolia positions itself as a strategic supplier to address these critical supply chain pressures. The French environmental services firm, recognised globally for its water and waste infrastructure management across five continents, hosted an event in central London on 14 April 2026 to present its approach to sustainable resource procurement for the sector. At the capital's Outernet venue, the company launched Data Centre Resource 360, an integrated service offering designed to help hyperscalers procure and manage water, energy and waste solutions for their facilities more effectively. Veolia's event at Outernet was a masterclass in visual storytelling, with the firm's messages about data centres, water and energy coming across in high-definition. Credit: Veolia Procurement benefits of Resource 360 Veolia's offering targets three procurement priorities for data centre operators: carbon neutrality, water positivity and circularity in resource management. According to the firm's projections, Data Centre Resource 360 could enable operators to reduce water procurement requirements by up to 75%, improve energy efficiency by up to 20% and achieve waste recycling rates of up to 95%. The solution leverages Hubgrade, Veolia's existing digital platform, which deploys AI and predictive analytics to monitor water consumption, energy performance and maintenance operations in real time, providing procurement teams with critical data for resource planning. Richard Kirkman, Veolia's newly appointed Chief Executive Officer for Northern Europe, is direct about the cost implications for procurement. "Around 50% of the cost of AI infrastructure comes from water and power consumption," he says. A more efficient procurement strategy for resources and energy could reduce data centre operational costs significantly. "Having innovation deliver that resource efficiency is critical," he adds. Major hyperscalers are already engaging Veolia as a strategic supplier. The firm currently works with prominent technology companies including Google, AWS, TSMC, Samsung, Intel and Micron across more than 100 facilities globally. Supply chain constraints intensifying The procurement challenge Veolia addresses reflects broader supply chain pressures affecting the technology sector. Water scarcity is emerging as a critical supply constraint , with its impact already evident globally, including in ongoing conflicts in the Gulf region. "Water has erupted as a centre of conflict in the Middle East, important as oil, if not more," Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia's Chief Executive Officer, says at the event. Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia. Credit: Veolia Technology companies face mounting procurement difficulties as demand intensifies. By 2030, combined water requirements for data centres and semiconductor manufacturing could equal consumption by 46 million people, roughly equivalent to the combined populations of the New York, Los Angeles and Paris metropolitan areas. Global data centre capacity is projected to nearly triple over the same period, with facility numbers growing at approximately 11% annually through 2034. The semiconductor industry faces similar supply pressures, with chip manufacturing expected to expand by 26% in 2026 alone. This growth stems partly from a global shift towards domestic manufacturing as countries seek to reduce supply chain dependence on traditional electronics producers like China. However, while critical minerals for semiconductors remain scarce, water scarcity is increasingly constraining the AI and computing sector's supply chains. Currently, nearly half of all planned or under-construction data centre facilities face potential permitting delays, driven primarily by concerns over water consumption and energy procurement. This regulatory bottleneck creates a significant procurement risk that Veolia aims to help clients mitigate. Will Hewes, Water Sustainability Lead at AWS. Credit: AWS Strategic supplier partnerships The event featured Will Hewes, Vice President of Data Centre Energy and Water at AWS, who participated in a panel discussion alongside Veolia's leadership team, offering insight into the procurement relationship between the two organisations. During the discussion, he outlined AWS's sustainability commitments, noting the company has more than 700 carbon-free energy projects worldwide and is actively working to eliminate potable water procurement for cooling across its data centre estate. The firm is also committed to returning more water to communities than it consumes. "We'll have, in the next couple of years, over 120 data centres around the world using recycled water," he says, adding that AWS has announced more than 45 water replenishment projects to date. Technology companies like AWS require specialist suppliers such as Veolia to deliver these procurement objectives. "We're really good at operating data centres but we are not water treatment or wastewater treatment operators," Will says. "We have some really complementary skillsets here with Veolia that can help us expand our ability to use recycled, instead of potable, water." Veolia's practical deployment experience proves valuable in such procurement partnerships. "We've got the experience of not only developing new technologies but also that 'deployment magic'. That's often where projects fall down and dreams fall apart," Richard explains. "Our mantra is to get the solution on the ground, running quicker, on time and affordably." Estelle Brachlianoff on stage at London's Outernet. Credit: Veolia Technology companies like AWS require specialist suppliers such as Veolia to deliver these procurement objectives. "We're really good at operating data centres but we are not water treatment or wastewater treatment operators," Will says. "We have some really complementary skillsets here with Veolia that can help us expand our ability to use recycled, instead of potable, water." Veolia's practical deployment experience proves valuable in such procurement partnerships. "We've got the experience of not only developing new technologies but also that 'deployment magic'. That's often where projects fall down and dreams fall apart," Richard explains. "Our mantra is to get the solution on the ground, running quicker, on time and affordably." Tags Veolia AWS Energy Water Data Centres Sustainability Resources Circularity Recycling Conservation Cooling