Your mission is simple: keep the lights on. The data center cannot go down. You need to design the best power strategy: reliable, low-carbon, fast to connect and bankable.
CloudAI Corp will not select the cheapest solution. It will select the most reliable, low-carbon and bankable solution.
| Phase | Duration | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Client brief | 2 min | Explain the mission and roles. |
| Round 1 · Site | 4 min | Teams choose Spain, UK, Ireland or Germany / Belgium. |
| Round 2 · Power | 5 min | Teams select energy model and package choices. |
| Round 3 · Crisis | 5 min | Each team receives one crisis and selects a response. |
| Final pitch | 6–8 min | 90 seconds per team. Rate pitch using the dashboard dropdown. |
| Leaderboard & debrief | 3–4 min | Display ranking and close with key messages. |
| Criterion | Points | What drives the score |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 Reliability | 30 | Energy model + redundancy design + low-carbon firming package. |
| Speed to Power | 20 | Site choice + grid connection route. |
| Low-Carbon Strategy | 20 | Renewable potential + energy model + firming approach. |
| Risk Management | 20 | Contract package + ESG/local acceptance + crisis response. |
| Pitch Quality | 10 | Facilitator direct dropdown after each spoken pitch. |
The dashboard also applies automatic bonuses and penalties based on direct team choices.
| Crisis | Scenario | Best response package |
|---|---|---|
| Grid Connection Delay | The grid operator announces that the full grid connection will take several years. | Use existing substation capacity, phase the project, explore private wire, add BESS/backup and secure a second route. |
| No Redundancy | The site has one grid connection, but the data center requires a second connection for redundancy. | Secure a second grid connection, add UPS/BESS/backup generation, include failover design and contractual redundancy obligations. |
| Solar Intermittency | The client refuses a solar-only PPA because it does not provide 24/7 baseload. | Add wind, BESS, grid supply and emergency biofuel-ready backup to structure clean firm power. |
| Water Stress | The local community opposes the project because of water consumption. | Use low-water cooling, reuse water where possible, evaluate a less water-stressed site, engage stakeholders and report transparently. |
| Single-Buyer Risk | The renewable asset depends on one data center customer. If the client leaves, the asset is exposed. | Use take-or-pay, parent guarantee, step-in rights, alternative grid export and diversified offtake options. |
| Local Opposition | The local community challenges the project due to land use, visual impact, noise or pressure on local infrastructure. | Start early engagement, build a community benefit plan, mitigate impacts, keep permitting transparent and explain local jobs. |
The winning team is not necessarily the team with the cheapest power. The winning team is the one that best understands what data centers really need: speed, reliability, redundancy and risk management.