On-site power for
edge data centers.
Edge compute is spreading to depots, ports and plants, and racks are getting denser. When the next racks need more power than the grid connection can deliver, behind-the-meter generation is one way to add it at the site you already have.
The constraint
Edge and inference sites sit close to users: in urban buildings, telecom sites and small campuses. Adding racks can outgrow the existing utility service, and the transformer or service upgrade follows the utility’s timeline, not the rollout plan. Space for new electrical equipment is often limited too. How long grid connections take, with sources.
Compute is moving to the sites that create the data
Data is increasingly processed where it is produced. EV fleet depots managing charging and connected vehicles, ports running automated cranes and camera systems, and factories using machine vision are adding their own small data rooms next to the operation: from a few racks up to around 1 MW. Those racks are getting denser. Uptime Institute’s 2025 survey puts the average rack at 7.6 kW, up from 6.8 kW a year earlier, with more racks in the 10 to 30 kW range. That means more power in the same footprint, at sites that were never built as data centers. A 1 MW edge site would be five DOR units at target output.
How behind-the-meter capacity works
Generation on the customer side of the meter runs alongside the existing connection instead of replacing it. In an illustrative example, a 400 kW grid connection plus 600 kW of DOR capacity totals 1,000 kW before losses and reserves. If the grid is disconnected, the 600 kW DOR contribution target could serve selected loads; that is an illustration, not a full-site backup guarantee or validated transfer performance. Behind the meter vs front of the meter, explained.
Questions to answer before sizing
- Current connection capacity and peak demand, and how both change with the planned racks and their power density.
- Which loads must stay on if the grid is interrupted, and for how long.
- Available floor, roof or yard space, structural limits and equipment access.
- Fuel available at the site: pipeline natural gas, CNG, LPG, biofuel or hydrogen blends.
- Local permitting, emissions and noise limits.
- Existing UPS, switchgear and electrical protection.
Options to compare
Most sites should compare several paths, and many combine them: a utility service upgrade, battery storage for ride-through and peaks, natural gas generators matched to the right duty rating, fuel cells and linear generators. Batteries cover short events; sustained additional capacity needs generation or a larger connection.
Where the DOR fits*
The DOR is being developed as compact behind-the-meter capacity. Engineering targets: 200 kW electrical output per unit, parallel operation (five units would target 1 MW), a 1.4 × 1.0 × 2.0 m package of about 15 sq ft, 700 kg, about 90 kVA per cubic meter, 69 dBA at 5 m, and a grid-forming inverter for grid-tied, standalone or microgrid operation. Planned fuels are natural gas, CNG, LPG, biofuel and hydrogen blends. An integrated DOR prototype has not yet been built or tested; these are targets subject to integrated-system testing, third-party validation and certification, and first pilot deployments are planned for 2027. See the technology and datasheet.
Common questions
Can an existing data center add capacity without replacing its grid connection?
DOR is being developed to add local generation alongside an existing connection. An edge data center can evaluate modular capacity for additional racks and future expansion. Capacity, fuel, available space, utility conditions and electrical protection require site engineering and validation.
How do I power an edge data center on a site that does not have grid power yet?
Standalone on-site generation is one option for a site without an available utility connection. The pre-pilot DOR’s grid-forming inverter architecture is designed for standalone operation, subject to validation, site engineering, fuel availability, permitting and electrical integration.
Our depot, port or plant is adding a small on-site data room. How should we plan its power?
Plan the compute load together with the site’s other loads. Compute runs around the clock at a fairly steady level, while charging, cranes or production have their own peaks. Size for rack density as well as rack count, since denser racks put more power into the same space. Behind-the-meter generation is one way to add that capacity where the connection is already committed.
Is behind-the-meter generation only for backup power?
No. It can add capacity alongside the grid, manage peaks, or run selected loads when the grid is unavailable. DOR is being developed for added capacity alongside the grid, peak management and selected-load islanded operation.
Has the DOR been deployed at a site like this?
No. The DOR is pre-pilot: an integrated prototype has not yet been built or tested, and first pilot deployments are planned for 2027. Figures on this page are engineering targets or illustrations, not results from installed projects.
Plan your next racks.
Bring your current connection, planned load and site constraints. We’ll help define what to evaluate. Site fit depends on permitting, fuel supply, interconnection and engineering review.
Discuss your site