Australian energy technology company FlexSysAI has launched its proprietary platform that enables data centres to make their power demand flexible by shifting GPU-based AI workloads across locations and time without impacting service, easing pressure on the grid at times of high demand.
At scale, FlexSysAI addresses a major barrier to the rollout of digital infrastructure.
It can help data centre operators connect to the grid sooner, pay less for power, access renewable electricity when it is abundant, and get paid to support the grid, while allowing operators to maintain control over when and where workloads are shifted.
The platform connects live electricity market and grid conditions with AI workload balancing, shifting compute to where and when power is cheap and abundant, while also allowing non-critical workloads to be reduced where necessary when the system is strained and electricity prices are high.
Founded by energy experts, technologists and entrepreneurs, including Victor Feoktistov, Angelo Perera and Sean Senvirtne, the team has spent several years building its demand-response technology and securing a retail licence, providing customers with direct access to energy markets.
Australia is the ideal starting point for FlexSysAI, with its unique grid, rapid growth of data centres and high penetration of renewables providing excellent conditions to refine the platform as it expands overseas.
With global data centre electricity demand potentially exceeding 1,700 TWh annually by 2035, FlexSysAI aims to service markets across the world to help manage electricity use and costs that could reach USD 170 billion.
FlexSysAI has quickly attracted interest and has a pipeline of multiple data centres exploring adoption of the technology in Australia. It is backed by early investors EnergyLab and Sean Senvirtne, and is part of NVIDIA’s Inception program.
The launch comes as governments around the world consider how to regulate data centre energy use. Earlier this month, the Australian Energy Market Commission recommended a new national framework for managing growing data centre electricity demand, including a third policy pathway focused on operational flexibility.
FlexSysAI co-founder, Victor Feoktistov, said the company provides the technology and market access needed to put this approach into practice.
“Data centres need a strategy for the power crunch that is holding back the sector. Physical grid constraints are beginning to bite and time to power is already a major constraint for operators.”
“These pressures are likely to worsen over the next two to three years, while regulatory pressure is moving even faster as more jurisdictions look to require flexibility from large energy users.”
“Flexibility needs to be built into data centre operations today to stay competitive. FlexSysAI can support both voluntary and mandatory approaches, but we believe giving data centres a voluntary path to participate is critical to driving early adoption.”
“Operators stay in control, see a live price for flexibility and choose when to shift workloads, while connecting to the grid sooner and getting ahead of mandatory requirements that continue to emerge across key markets.” Feoktistov
FlexSysAI Chief Technology Officer, Angelo Perera, added that the technology gives data centres a practical way to respond to changing grid conditions without affecting service.
“We are starting in Australia’s National Electricity Market, as it has one of the world’s most challenging grids, and its structure and volatility strongly reward smarter, more flexible demand,”
“This makes Australia an ideal market to prove the technology before deploying it globally as we provide a long-term solution to the accelerating electricity-demand problem,”
“We believe this technology has a critical role to play in managing electricity costs and supporting grid reliability, while helping data centre operators connect sooner, pay less for power and get paid to support the grid, while maintaining the support of communities, governments, regulators and utilities around the world.” said Perera
