Argyll Data Development and SambaNova, a next-gen AI infrastructure builder, have entered a strategic partnership to deliver the UK’s first renewable-powered AI inference cloud.
Using wind, wave and solar energy generated on-site at its Killellan AI Growth Zone, a 184-acre green digital campus on Scotland’s Cowal Peninsula, Argyll will utilise SambaNova’s air-cooled SN40L systems that are engineered for maximum efficiency and minimum power consumption.
Each rack draws roughly one-tenth of the power of traditional GPU systems, eliminating the need for liquid cooling and maintaining enterprise-grade performance.
The first phase of the Killellan site will provide 100 to 600 megawatts of capacity, scaling to over two gigawatts at full build-out. A private-wire renewable network and vanadium-flow battery storage will enable “island-mode” operation, with future grid integration planned.
“Together with SambaNova and our strategic partners, we’re building a sovereign AI infrastructure powered by renewable energy, demonstrating that sustainability and scale can go hand in hand,” says Peter Griffiths, executive chairman at Argyll.
“Our goal isn’t just to make AI greener, but to make it competitive, compliant and cost-effective. This project gives UK enterprises the ability to innovate responsibly, securely and within our own borders, in full alignment with national AI ambitions.”
Argyll is developing the Killellan AI Growth Zone as a model for sovereign-scale AI compute that keeps sensitive workloads within UK borders and drives regional economic growth. The project is expected to enable £15bn in total investment, create more than 2,000 construction jobs annually and 1,200 permanent positions.
Waste heat from the data-centre campus will support vertical farming, aquaculture and local district heating. Beyond powering AI innovation, Argyll’s renewable infrastructure will underpin socially beneficial applications in healthcare, agriculture and education, supporting the UK’s commitment to responsible AI for public good.
