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Connect | APAC // DCD>Debate: Beyond diesel - what’s the smartest backup power strategy for APAC?

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  • Mission Critical Power
  • Open Session

Speakers

Eric Hill

Director of Global Marketing and Product Management, CSB Energy Technology Co.

Eric Hill

Eric Hill

Director of Global Marketing and Product Management, CSB Energy Technology Co.

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Navid Golshani

Principal Data Centre/Mission Critical Electrical Engineer, Stantec

navid golshani

Navid Golshani

Principal Data Centre/Mission Critical Electrical Engineer, Stantec

Navid is an accomplished Principal Data Centre/Mission Critical Electrical Engineer who has consistently demonstrated his expertise in all aspects of medium to large-scale high-density Data Centre projects. With a comprehensive involvement spanning consultation, presales, design, construction, commissioning, and operation, he has established a remarkable track record. Currently employed at a global engineering consultancy firm, Navid assumes the responsibility of delivering end-to-end solutions for data centre projects. He expertly guides clients from the initial conception stage to the final implementation, ensuring the adoption of the most suitable electromechanical topology or technology. His unwavering commitment to surpassing industry standards and regulations guarantees that the solutions provided consistently meet and exceed compliance requirements.

Navid holds a master's degree in Engineering (MEng), specializing in Electrical Systems. As a professional member of Engineers Australia (MIEAust) and a certified Project Manager (PRINCE2), he possesses a diverse skill set. Notably, Navid has achieved the prestigious Uptime Institute's Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) Professional Certification, a distinction only a few engineers in the APAC region can claim.

Widely recognized as an expert in the field of mission-critical services and data centres, Navid has successfully managed hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise data centre projects across the APAC and EMEA regions. His dedication to excellence is evident in his ability to design and deploy efficient and reliable data centre infrastructures, leveraging his technical prowess and extensive knowledge. Clients hold Navid in high regard due to his professionalism and innovative problem-solving approach, which have become his hallmark.

In addition to his consulting work, Navid serves as a DCD Academy Accredited Instructor, taking pleasure in training the next generation of data centre engineers, consultants, managers, and professionals. He thrives on forging connections with industry experts and colleagues worldwide, as he explores the immense potential within the rapidly evolving digital infrastructure industry.

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Benoit Boudreau

Global Chief Technology Officer, AGP Group

Benoit

Benoit Boudreau

Global Chief Technology Officer, AGP Group

Ben (Benoit) Boudreau is an accomplished leader in digital infrastructure with a proven track record in building high-performance teams and managing complex, large-scale projects. As the Global Chief Technology Officer at AGP Sustainable Real Assets since September 2024, he leads the data center technology division with a focus on developing sustainable, large-scale AI data center campuses worldwide.

Prior to joining AGP, Ben served as Head of Data Center Design Engineering for Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Asia Pacific from October 2018 to August 2024. Based initially in Singapore before relocating to Seoul, South Korea, he managed a team of 75+ engineers across the entire APAC region, overseeing all engineering data center design disciplines. Under his leadership, the team successfully delivered data centers across Australia, China, India, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, New Zealand, South Korea, and other confidential regions. He also played a key role in developing AWS's next-generation global data center design templates.

His passion for innovation, energy efficiency and sustainable development has been the guiding force throughout his 18-year international career in engineering and data center infrastructure. Ben holds two patents in the field of data center cooling technology & innovation. He also supports academia, where he served as a part-time University Lecturer at Université de Moncton, Canada.

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As power demand surges and grid reliability remains uncertain, the industry must rethink its backup power strategy. Diesel has long been the failsafe, but stricter emissions rules, and corporate sustainability targets are driving the search for cleaner alternatives.

Are batteries, hydrogen, biofuels, and natural gas truly viable at scale? How do these options compare in terms of sustainability, lifecycle emissions, and long-term environmental impact? Can the region transition away from diesel without compromising reliability or cost-efficiency? Which solutions offer the best protection against long-duration outages? This debate will tackle the economic, operational, and environmental trade-offs shaping the future of backup power.

Held under Chatham House Rule, DCD>Debates are open discussions led by a panel of experts, on the biggest issues to face the industry.