About Trustvolt Energy Group
Trustvolt Energy Group was founded in 2022 by people from energy development, project finance and data-centre operations who kept meeting the same problem from different sides: compute that could not find power, and power that could not find a buyer.
Origin
The idea started at a decommissioned coal plant on the Rhine in late 2021. James Hargreaves was there to assess the grid connection for a solar project; Katharina Engel was advising a family office looking at the same site for a logistics hub. Neither deal worked on its own — but the 110-kV connection, the cooling-water intake and the industrial zoning were exactly what a data centre needed. Within six months the three founders had secured the site, signed a memorandum of understanding with a hyperscaler and closed a seed round from two European family offices.
The first 18 months were a lesson in how slow permitting can be and how fast demand moves. By the time the Rheinhafen planning application was submitted, the team had already mapped 30 further sites across four countries. What began as one project became a platform — and the fund followed.
The name reflects what we do: build infrastructure on a foundation of trust — the trust of the investors, communities and operators whose long-term commitments make each project possible — and deliver the voltage that powers AI compute.
What we hold ourselves to
- Physical, not notional. Renewable supply is delivered to the site, not matched on paper.
- Contract before concrete. No construction capital without a signed tenant and a secured connection.
- Local benefit is part of the design. Heat, jobs and procurement are planned, not promised afterwards.
- Plain reporting. Investors and partners receive the same numbers we use ourselves.
Team
James Hargreaves
Fifteen years in European energy development, from offshore wind consenting in the North Sea to grid-connected solar across southern Germany. Before Trustvolt, he led the renewables team at a mid-market infrastructure fund.
Dr. Katharina Engel
Two decades in infrastructure investment and project finance, including senior roles at a European development bank and a listed infrastructure trust. She has structured and closed over €2 billion of energy and transport transactions.
Michael Tran
A decade of building and operating hyperscale data centres across Europe and Asia, most recently as VP of engineering for a global colocation provider. He brings hands-on expertise in liquid cooling, power distribution and campus design.
Offices
London E14 5DU
United Kingdom
Frankfurt — Germany Börsenplatz 2–4
60313 Frankfurt am Main
Germany