Singapore – Transforming Tropical Data Centre Operations
To enhance energy resilience and operational efficiency in data centres, the Centre for Energy Research & Technology (CERT) at the National University of Singapore’s College of Design and Engineering (NUS CDE) is collaborating with a global digital infrastructure leader to establish a Co-Innovation Facility (CIF) in Singapore. The cutting-edge facility will prioritise addressing critical sustainability challenges in data centres.
The initiative will focus on developing sustainable solutions for data centres in tropical climates, targeting low-carbon energy, efficient cooling, circularity, and energy optimisation. This partnership aims to address sustainability challenges while advancing digital infrastructure capabilities in the region.
Singapore’s digital economy has seen rapid expansion, growing at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 13% since 2017 and contributing 17.3% to the nation’s GDP in 2022. With the government investing over SGD 1 billion in emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) through the 2024 National Budget, the demand for reliable, efficient data centres has surged.
However, this growth brings challenges in managing energy consumption and ensuring sustainable operations, particularly in tropical climates.
The CIF, to be housed in an upcoming International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data centre, is designed to address these challenges. The facility will serve as a collaborative research hub, bringing together technology innovators, academia, and industry partners to develop and test energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions.
The CIF will focus on key innovations to reduce the carbon footprint of data centres. Among these are:
Alternative Power Solutions
Exploring low-carbon power options, such as fuel cells and advanced battery storage systems, the CIF aims to integrate renewable energy sources and create scalable, sustainable energy solutions. These systems can serve as on-site backup power and improve energy efficiency while supporting the grid.
Direct Current Power Distribution
This innovative architecture facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources like solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS). By streamlining energy flow, it enhances grid power quality and efficiency while reducing energy losses.
Liquid Cooling Technology
Liquid cooling, essential for managing the intense computational demands of AI and other advanced technologies, will be trialled at the CIF. This method optimises energy use, reduces noise, and creates opportunities for waste heat reuse, contributing to circularity in data centre operations.
Cognitive Digital Twin (CDT) Technology
Using AI and machine learning, CDT capabilities will enable predictive maintenance and system upgrades. These models aim to improve operational efficiency and anticipate challenges in real-time, ensuring reliability and sustainability.
With an initial investment of US$ 4 million, the CIF represents a significant step forward in Singapore’s push for sustainable development. The facility will build on previous collaborations, such as a study conducted in 2022 to explore hydrogen-based green fuel technologies for data centres. That research highlighted the potential of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and fuel-flexible linear generators as low-carbon backup power solutions in tropical environments.
The partnership exemplifies the importance of industry-academia collaboration in driving innovation. Professor Lee Poh Seng, Director of CERT at NUS CDE, stressed the potential of the CIF, saying,
This collaboration allows us to leverage our expertise in energy innovation to tackle critical challenges faced by data centres in tropical climates.
“Together, we aim to redefine benchmarks for operational efficiency and sustainability.”
The CIF aligns with Singapore’s broader ambitions of becoming a global innovation hub while prioritising environmental responsibility. The facility is expected to open in Q1 2027, offering a blueprint for sustainable data centre operations in tropical locations worldwide.
By merging technological advancements with sustainability, the CIF reinforces Singapore’s position as a trailblazer in environmentally conscious digital transformation. This initiative reflects a shared vision of advancing technological progress while addressing pressing climate challenges, ensuring a sustainable future for digital infrastructure.
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